Paranormal: Beside and Against
by Blue-Winter-Angel
Summary: Sequel to "Econs" - After having Haven City attacked by crazed civillians, Jak and Sky realize that they have to destroy the Dark Makers for good. But when the Dark Makers realize that they're under threat, they fight back. Who will win the war?
1. Prologue

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BWA: Finally, it's about time I got this written.  
Jak: You're telling me..  
BWA: -Glares- Can it, kid.  
Jak: -Grumbles-  
BWA: -Laughs- Anyway, I'm sorry that the wait was so long. I worked hard on this so I hope you like it.  
Sky: It's awesome.  
BWA: Anyway - This is just the prologue, I'll update again within the next few days. Promise. -Smiles-  
Emmett: Woo!  
BWA: Oh, and as always, Emmett joins us for the ride.  
Emmett: Hey! -Waves-  
BWA: Well.. we don't really have much else to say, so read on, kiddies!

Disclaimer: Jak and Daxter belongs to Naughty Dog, but anyone you don't recognise belongs to me!

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_Prologue_

No matter who you are or where you come from, some times in your life, you will have to make choices. Sometimes they might be good choices, other times, they might be bad. With each step you take, you must learn from your choices. The people that will stand by your side through the hard times and will laugh with you through the good times are the ones you need to keep in your life, because they will be there when you really need them.

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Haven City used to live up to its name. It used to be a refuge, a place where people could settle down and live in peace. But, there's always something out there looking to destroy happiness at all costs.

This particular city had been struck with a mass outbreak of what could only be described as Econs. They were just regular people, but somehow, a certain amount of Dark Eco had been injected into their system – twisting their DNA and shaping them into ravenous cannibals, hell-bent on destroying peace and comfort. The Haven City government built Econ HQ, the place where all captured Econs were placed and tested. For many months, the outbreak went without a cure.

Thankfully, Haven City had their own weapons to help fight against the threat towards their freedom. Two regular civilians had been touched by Dark Eco on their own terms, their bodies – having been built to absorb and feed off different types of Eco, allowed the substance into their bodies. Letting it change them into something unknown to this world. They were classed as Eco Demons, and were asked to join the rebellion.

These two particular Eco Demons go by the names Jak and Sky. They were put into training for a year, to help strengthen them for what could possibly be a threat that had the power to wipe them from the world. Once they were strong enough to fight and hold their own, they were sent out on missions. Ones that involved hunting down and catching the Econs that were running rampant through the city. All the while remaining unnoticed by the townsfolk. That was their one rule.

Keep people in the dark. Keep them safe.

The two demons were able to keep their secret for quite some time – until one particular mission changed the way they looked at things. A young girl had been taken from her house one night, and HQ had no proof of whether she'd been changed or not. They had information to go on, and so they trusted it and followed the directions they were given. They found the girl, surprised to find that she was still human and not crazed and evil.

After being attacked by a Dark Maker; Sky was forced into a week of searing pain as an injury from the Dark Maker unlocked different parts of her brain. It linked her to Jak and doubled their powers, making them that much stronger.

During this hectic time, both Jak and Sky had managed to find their other halves. Jak met a young girl named Keira at the Haven City Stadium during a capture; and Sky had found her other half in Kellan, one of the new engineers at HQ. They happened to meet at a bar, but found out that they would be working together the following morning.

Keira had been taken from her home one particular night, while Jak was sleeping beside her. Sky managed to look into an old Dark Maker memory, and she saw that the creatures were using the Econs as decoys. They really wanted Jak and Sky to join their side of the fight. Keira was now their bait.

Jak and Sky had been informed of a rise in Eco flow at the old Metal Head nest. There they found a Dark Maker that went by the name of Kyrian. Sky pissed him off by mentioning his reluctant daughter, Karina – and how she didn't want to fight. Kyrian threatened her and warned her that if they didn't join the Dark Makers, they would kill the two demons. Keira was returned to them after Kyrian fled, and she was later told that she had become a carrier of the Dark Eco infection. The Eco was causing her body no harm, but they could have it removed if she wished, since it wasn't poisoning her body. She said she felt no need to have it removed.

Less than a week later, HQ made a breakthrough with the Econ antidote. They managed to find a cure, and all their subjects were injected. The civilians, now cured, were able to go back home to their families. Completely unaware of what was coming.

And that, brings us to where we left them.

But, their story is not yet over.

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**BWA: Short, I know - but it's a prologue, it's allowed to be short. It was really just a recap of what happened in "Econs" so.. yeah.  
Jak: Let's get to the action already!  
BWA: Don't worry, we'll get to that soon enough. Be patient.  
Jak: -Grumbles-  
Emmett: As we mentioned just before, this is the sequel to "Econs," so if you haven't read that, you might want to run back and read it when you've got a free minute.  
BWA: Yeah, that'd probably help you understand this a little better, but hey, it's your call.  
Sky: -Dances-  
Jak: o.O  
BWA: -Rolls eyes- Okay, well... Leave us a review if you like this so far! I'll update within the next few days!  
Emmett: Until then..  
BWA: See you! -Waves-**

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	2. Let The Flames Begin

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BWA: Hiya! Welcome back!  
Jak: Who are we talking to?  
BWA: ...The readers, kiddo.  
Jak: Ah, I get it.  
Sky: -Points- I'm working with an idiot!  
Emmett: -Laughs-  
BWA: Well.. no reviews so far, but, thanks to the lovely Traffic button, at least I know people are clicking on it. -Laughs- Which is good, right?  
Emmett: Right.  
BWA: Kay - well, now we're starting the story, jumping straight in, as well.  
Emmett: Wanna keep them waiting?  
BWA: ....Nah. Go on!

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_Chapter One  
Let The Flames Begin  
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Two pale bodies thrashed and clawed at each other in the dimly lit room – harsh, threatening noises ripped from both throats as the strange creatures leapt apart before coming together again with a sickening crash. Flashes of purple and black danced around the two beings, in perfect harmony with their movements.

When the firmer, more muscular form hesitated for less than half a second, his opponent pounced on him. The slender, curvy creature tackled him to the ground; her long hair tumbling over her shoulders and coming to rest on the chest of her target. The pale female crouched over her stunned opponent – her legs coming to rest on either side of his torso. She placed her clawed hands on his shoulders and leaned in close, her lips pulled back from her teeth as a sharp snarl ripped up her throat, her body crackling with that strange black and purple energy.

"**Okay, okay!" **The male called, **"You win!"**

A menacing peal of laughter ripped up the females' throat and filled the large room. **"Damn straight, I do." **

A lower tone joined the woman in her laughter, the male sharing her humour as he shoved her off his chest. **"Flip the lights, Torn!"**

Following the order, the room was suddenly brought to life by several bright lights. The female squinted slightly, her pitch black eyes narrowing as she began to walk forward with her partner. These two pale, deadly creatures were Jak and Sky – Haven's Eco Demons.

As they walked, their dark counterparts began to melt away, their own features coming back to life. Their pale skin and snowy white hair disappeared, the two small horns on their heads curling back into their skulls. Their canines shrunk back to normal size, the claws on their fingers retracting and the pitch black of their eyes disappeared.

Torn, the leader of the now named Freedom HQ, since the Econs had been cured, watched the transformation in awed silence. He'd seen it hundreds of times over, but had never been able to fully understand how severely Dark Eco could change someone. Jak and Sky were the only two Eco Demons in the city, or their planet for all they knew, and for good reason. They were deadly to anyone who pushed their buttons the wrong way. A small overload of Eco to a body that wasn't equipped to hold it would be fatal.

With a shake of his head, he left the small room he was in and joined the others as they left the training room.

"You're improving," He told them as they walked down a hallway. "You've got a noticeable grasp on the increase in strength and Eco flow. A few more weeks and you'll be perfect."

Jak sighed, running a hand through his now short bi-coloured hair, green with blonde tips. His blue eyes dimming slightly, "But, the question is whether we have a few weeks."

Jak was a rather serious person with a cocky attitude and a smug grin. He stood at an average 5'8, and, although most people he knew stood at least a head taller than him, he was very strong. His usual fighting attire had changed to one of his old shirts, the sleeves were ripped off and a more comfortable neck line had been supplied by his six inch claws. His usual khaki pants had been ripped up a bit too.

His partner, Sky was quite the same. She was impulsive and lived in the moment – she was bright and enthusiastic and could be a total smart-ass when the moment called for it. She taught Jak how to loosen up and smile once in a while. Happy as she was, she had a very serious side and got the job done when she had to. Her light blue hair swung down to her curvy hips which were donned with a pair of faded jeans - and her torso was covered by her favourite black corset top. It hugged to her body and went without sleeves or straps. It just hugged. Sky found that the tighter the clothing, the easier it was for her to move. Her bright ocean blue eyes rolled as she punched Jak's shoulder.

"Honestly, Jak." She scolded. "You need to stop worrying about that. They won't start making moves until they're ready. We only dealt with Kyrian three months ago – they won't retaliate that quickly. Calm down, okay? We have time."

Jak smiled and slung an arm over her shoulder. Another thing Sky was good at was calming him down. The two had been fighting together for years, even before they joined Freedom HQ. The Dark Eco in their bodies had drawn them together as soon as their transformations were finished, and they had found each other within two days. They had been best friends ever since. They knew each others secrets and saw straight through their masks.

Torn clenched his jaw and turned into an empty room. Haven City was run by Ashelin Praxis – the daughter of the late Baron Praxis who had unfortunately been killed in the brutal Metal Head battle a few years back. Ashelin hardly left the palace, but she kept up daily calls with Torn. Jak and Sky would tease him about having a secret relationship with the girl. She was nice and got along well with the two Eco Demons, supplying them with whatever machinery they needed. At the rate things were going, Ashelin would have to leave her palace and help down at HQ soon enough.

Sky followed Torn's movements and rolled her eyes again when he gave her a cocky grin and closed the door. She glanced back at Jak and ruffled his hair before sprinting down the hall. She reached the end off the hall a millisecond before Jak tackled her to the ground. They rolled a few times before Sky shoved him off her, watching as he landed on the balls of his feet. She glared at him before laughing and pushing off the ground. She glanced up at the man who was watching them from the corner of his eye.

Jak grinned at his comrade before turning to their friend. "Anything new?" He asked.

Cal, a man with short, jet black hair and green eyes turned away from a tracking screen. "Nothing more than the usual," he replied. "A bit of an increase of Dark Eco flow in the old nest and Dead Town – but, nothing we should be worried about."

Sky raised an eyebrow, "But, there's an increase… shouldn't we be concerned at all?"

He shook his head, "Not really. There are old Dark Eco stores everywhere, maybe one of them started flowing again, bringing it closer to the surface."

"Maybe?" Jak asked, sharing Sky's confusion. "So… you're not positive that that's what's happening?"

Cal shrugged, "If you're that worried, we'll send someone to go and check it out. I don't think it's worth worrying about."

Sky blew a strand of hair away from her face, "Cal… the possibility of a war is hanging over our heads, ready to drop at any time. And you're not worried about something that could have a decent purpose?"

Cal smiled at her, walking around the large desk to place his hands on her shoulders, "Sky, we have some of the best technology in the universe. I wouldn't be telling you not to worry unless I was absolutely certain. And I know these things aren't always concrete. We all make mistakes – but you just have to trust me for now, okay?"

Sky sighed and nodded her head, "Alright then. You're such a nerd." She teased.

Jak laughed and ran a hand through his hair, messing it up further. "Where's Keira?"

Cal rolled his eyes, "She's gone down to the garage with Kellan. They left about ten minutes ago, so they should be back any minute."

He nodded and wandered over to the screen that Cal was looking at; making suggestions and following readings. Sky, however, made her way over to the large floor to ceiling windows that had replaced the back wall. From where HQ was situated, she got a good view of the city. She pressed her palms flat against the window and rested her forehead against the cool glass, closing her eyes with a sigh.

It wasn't long before she felt a pair of warm, familiar arms wrap around her waist. A soft pair of lips pressed against the back of her shoulder and she hummed quietly, her eyes fluttering open. "Hey," She breathed, her eyes sweeping lazily across the city.

"Hey," Kellan whispered against her skin. "Everything okay?"

She sighed and turned around to take in the man that stood behind her. Kellan was the most attractive person she'd ever laid eyes on. He had dark brown hair with honey blonde streaks in it that looked as though he'd just walked through a hurricane. It stood up in all directions, but was soft to the touch. His eyes were the brightest green she'd ever seen in her life – almost like celery. He had an angled jaw, a straight nose and strong, wiry muscles. He was a bright, happy man, perfect for Sky.

Kellan noticed the saddened look in his girlfriend's eyes, and with a quiet gasp, he pulled her close, pressing his lips to hers. She began to relax in his arms. "What's wrong?" He asked when they pulled away.

Sky sighed and ducked her head, turning back to the window, "I just… I don't know. After that outbreak and now a threat from the Dark Makers… Why can't people just enjoy life? Why do we have to keep so many secrets from them?"

Kellan smiled warmly and pulled Sky into a loving embrace, "We're doing this to keep them safe. Would you rather they know that creatures want them dead? Or would you rather they be kept in the dark, free to love and live while they can?"

She nodded slightly, blinking against the tears that threatened to fill her eyes. "I understand."

The green-eyed male smiled against her hair; although Sky loved what she did, she always worried about the people these situations were affecting. It broke her heart to hear about injuries or kidnappings or even deaths in the city, all caused by things that they had no control over. Sky and Jak always tried their hardest, but sometimes things slipped through the cracks.

"Whatever happens, Sky," He whispered into her ear, "I'll always be by your side. We'll get through this."

She sighed and relaxed against his chest, turning her head to smile at him. "You're right. I'm sorry…" She turned around and peeked over Kellan's shoulder to wave at Keira.

Keira was Jak's soul mate; she had aqua coloured hair and deep green eyes. She was a mechanic down at the Stadium. Kellan, Sky, Keira and Jak all shared a love of tinkering with machinery. Guns were Jak and Kellan's favourite whereas Sky and Keira would spend hours fawning over Zoomer's and all.

"Never fear, Daxter is here!" A familiar voice cried from down the end of the hallway. The five people in the room all turned to see Daxter and his girlfriend, Tess walk into view.

Daxter and Tess had met Jak and Sky the same night that the two came across Keira in the Stadium. The couple became close with the two Eco Demons in less than a day. He owned a bar called the "Naughty Ottsel" in South Town, and the group normally went there for drinks.

Daxter was fairly tanned with bright orange hair that was spiked in all directions. It was almost as short as Jak's. Daxter was lanky but had quite a bit of muscle – his girlfriend Tess was small and petite with baby blue eyes and wavy blonde hair. She had a musical giggle and was very easy to get along with. Daxter was exceedingly perverted and always good for a laugh.

"What are you doing here, Dax?" Jak asked, turning to his friend in confusion.

Daxter was around the same height as Jak, whereas Kellan stood a head taller than both of them. "Work was slow, so I closed early to come see you guys."

"Aww," Keira crooned with a smile. "That's sweet, Dax."

Daxter grinned and waved a hand dismissively, "I know, I know, I'm fabulous. You don't have to remind me, Keira."

"Oh," Sky began with a smirk on her lips. "She wasn't."

Jak laughed and winked at his blue-haired partner, "So, any plans for the afternoon?"

Daxter shrugged and went to say something but was cut off by Torn who came sprinting down the hall just as Sky's gaze moved back to the windows.

"Torn? What's wrong?" Jak asked, seeing the panicked look on the Freedom HQ leaders face.

"We've got a problem."

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**BWA: Ooooh! They've got a problem!  
Sky: Why are you so excited about this?  
BWA: Well, I know what's gonna happen next, so..  
Sky: Oh.  
BWA: Anyway, what did you think? Like it? Wanna know what happens next?  
Emmett: Do you think we'll get any reviews for this chapter?  
BWA: -Shrugs- Even if we don't, that's not going to stop me from updating.  
Jak: Good to know..  
Emmett: -Rolls eyes- You're like.. a constant downer, huh?  
Jak: Am not!  
Emmett: Can we get him some lollies and all? Try to cheer him up?  
BWA: Sure, why not? I'll go look into it..  
Emmett: Woo!  
BWA: See you again soon!**

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	3. Taking Sides

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BWA: -Bounces-  
Jak: .. What's up with you?  
BWA: I got a review!  
Sky: Yay!  
Emmett: That's awesome!  
BWA: I know! So, of course, thanks a heap to our first reviewer: Folklore zombie!  
Emmett: -Throws confetti-  
BWA: Anyway, if you haven't read Econs, you might want to skim over it, otherwise this chapter might confuse you, kay? You'll know what I'm talking about.  
Sky: So.. what exactly happens in this chapter?  
BWA: -Shrugs- You're gonna have to read and find out.  
Emmett: Onward!

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**_Chapter Two  
Taking Sides_**

"What's going on?" Jak asked, stepping forward. "What's the problem?"

Torn's gaze flicked between Jak and Sky, the girl wouldn't meet his gaze – she knew what he had come to say. Her back was to him, her ocean blue eyes staring out over the city. "There's been a wave of attacks down in the middle of the city."

"Attacks?" Keira asked, "Who's attacking the city?"

Torn took a deep breath, "Dark Makers." He replied, continuing on only after seeing Sky tense in Kellan's arms. "Ashelin has sent most of the Freedom Fighters down to the scene, but we need our Eco Demons. It's a strong wave, and we're going to need you two on the front line."

"What?" Cal demanded, shocked. "You want to put the two creatures we're trying to hide from the city right in front of them?"

Torn sighed and clenched his hands into fists, "We don't have a choice. If we don't get Jak and Sky down there, we're going to fall faster than ever." He looked up; locking eyes with Jak whose jaw was tightened in determination. "We have to stop the attack."

Jak nodded, "Let's go." He said through clenched teeth. He reached out and took the gun that Cal handed to him. "Sky, come on." He turned to see Sky with her palms to the window again, "Sky?"

Kellan shared a glance with Jak before he leaned forward and spoke into Sky's long ears. "You knew this was coming, and we're powerless to stop it. We can only fight now. Go and keep the people safe."

Sky exhaled quietly and turned, staring straight into Kellan's eyes before she lurched up and pressed her lips to his. When they parted, she smiled a little and walked over to Jak who was holding her gun out. She took it and slung the strap over her shoulder. "When did the wave start?" She asked, her eyes hard.

"Less than two minutes ago," Torn replied. "Go."

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"Looks like our guests arrived a little early, huh?" Jak asked as the two sped through the streets of Haven City on a zoomer. Jak drove while Sky sat behind him, her arms wrapped around his torso.

"I guess so," She hissed against his shoulder. "We'll have to give them a proper Haven City welcome then, won't we?"

Jak laughed darkly as they turned a corner, "Damn straight." His eyes widened as they neared the attack zone. "Brace yourself."

The Dark Makers were gathered in one of the sections near South Town. Groups of civilians were backed up into corners, surrounded by the large creatures. Sky hissed, fighting the rage that made her blood boil.

Jak turned the zoomer sharply to the left, sending them arcing around in a wide circle. Before they could prepare themselves, a rogue Dark Maker shot at the engine, blowing the zoomer up in a bright flash of light. Jak and Sky were thrown off; the two hit the ground with a loud crash and rolled a decent distance from their now destroyed zoomer. They were back on their feet in an instant; Sky already had a gash on her shoulder from landing on a piece of debris.

"Ready?" Jak cried, glaring at the Dark Makers that turned to watch them.

Sky grinned, her canines lengthening, "Bring it on."

The two lurched forward, bracing themselves on their hands and knees as their dark counterparts took over their bodies in tandem. Their skin paled, as did their hair; two sharp black horns emerged from the tops of their heads, their pupils widened until they took over their eyes. Fingernails lengthened until they were six inch claws and the earlier mentioned teeth grew until they were sharp fangs.

"**You take the left, I'll take the right and we'll meet in the middle!" **Jak cried, already sprinting forward, the scar on his collarbone pulsing brightly like the scar on Sky's arm.

Following Jak's instructions, she lurched forward and launched herself onto a Dark Makers back, digging her claws into its temples. It shrieked in agony as she overpowered its body with Dark Eco. The creature threw her off just as it fell to the ground. Sky shot forward again the second that her feet touched the concrete. She launched herself onto another Dark Maker and gripped the sharp spikes coming out from its skin before she sunk her fangs into its shoulder. Another sharp cry rang in her ears before she raised her hands to grab its head and with a sharp twist to the right, another Dark Maker fell to the ground.

A large hand wrapped around her neck, pressing her up against the wall as her legs kicked uselessly under her. The Dark Maker hissed at her and she hissed back, enraged. A loud gunshot rang out through the war zone before the dark creature screamed and let Sky drop to the ground, a bullet in its back. She grinned at Jak over the Dark Makers shoulder as she overrode another creatures system with Dark Eco.

Jak winked and watched as his partner danced lithely through the groupings of Dark Makers. Bullets and Dark Eco bombs were being thrown left and right, but the two dodged them, continuing their mission. Jak pulled his gun out and shot a Dark Maker between the eyes, watching as it fell to the ground. A wave of dark energy suddenly pulsed under Jak's feet and he purred in satisfaction before turning to see Sky grinning like an idiot, watching as Dark Makers fell to the ground from the override. Even some dark beings weren't built for holding as much Dark Eco as these two. Even creatures made from the deadly substance.

As the fight stretched on, Haven's twin suns began to droop in the sky. The wave of attacks had been stopped – Jak and Sky were both exhausted, but were doing final checks to make sure that there weren't any Dark Makers left.

Sky stepped over a Dark Maker's still body, her nose wrinkled up at the sight. Her appearance was back to normal now that her counterpart had had its fun. Jak was calling Torn while she made one more sweep to make sure there was nothing they missed. Just as Sky rounded a corner, a clawed hand gripped her leg and pulled her to the ground, the Dark Maker coming out of hiding.

"Jak!" She screamed at the top of her lungs. Any other day she would have gone dark and kicked the crap out of the creature that was threatening her. But after the attack wave, she was more than exhausted and her dark counterpart didn't have the strength to fight again for a little while.

She stared up at the monstrous creature with wide eyes; it was bigger than the others. Its other clawed hand came up to wrap around her neck before it flung her across the large expanse of the section they were in. Her back slammed against one of the steel walls and she cried out, one of the broken poles leaving a large cut on her back. She slumped to the ground, spitting out the metallic taste in her mouth. She glared at the Dark Maker, the blood from her busted lip on the ground, infused with Dark Eco.

The Dark Maker growled at her, its hand lighting up with a Dark Eco bomb. Sky's eyes widened in panic when she realized that her gun was with Jak. _How could I have been so stupid!? _She internally berated herself. She scrambled backwards, pressing her back up against the wall, fighting the sting that shot through her body as the open wound on her bare back came in contact with the cold barricade.

Just as the Dark Maker was about to fire its bomb, a smaller Dark Maker tackled it to the ground. The attack was fired, exploding above Sky's head, making her scream in fright. She had never felt so vulnerable before. She called for Jak again, wondering why he hadn't come to help. Her wide eyes flicked back to the fighting Dark Makers; confusion crossed her features as she watched. Why would they turn on each other like that?

When Jak came sprinting into view, Sky sighed in relief. The smaller Dark Maker stepped away before it slinked towards the blue haired woman across the large space. Jak tackled the large creature to the ground, guns aimed at its head. Sky watched in absolute disbelief as the Dark Maker that had turned on its comrade came and stood in front of her. _Protecting her. _

Sky had a feeling that this particular Dark Maker was sparing her the sight of watching Jak shoot the living daylights out of its old partner. Little did this strange creature know it was nothing that Sky hadn't seen before, having been fighting by Jak's side for years. A loud gunshot echoed through the now quiet city, Jak's exhilarated laughter rang in her ears, but she couldn't bring herself to smile. With curious eyes, she watched the Dark Maker turn around – she took in the differences that it possessed.

This Dark Maker was smaller than the others, slimmer, more agile. The sharp spikes on its back were smaller and had a slight curve to them. Its claws, while still long, were smaller. The thing that shocked her most was its eyes. Not the crazed, blood-thirsty eyes she was used to. These ones were tender, understanding, and begging for the chance to speak. Sky found herself staring back in confusion, curiosity dancing behind her eyes as her lips fell open. Surely this creature knew what she and Jak were, and if it were a normal Dark Maker, it would have killed her by now. She was weak and unarmed, now was the perfect chance. But it just stayed there… staring.

Sky flinched when she heard the click of a gun. The Dark Maker froze – its strange eyes widening when it felt the barrel of the gun in Jak's hand against its back. Sky looked over the creatures shoulder to see Jak slowly making his way around to stand next to the strange creature. The gun was now pressed to its temple.

"Jak," Sky whispered. "Wait…"

Jak stared at her in disbelief, "Wait? For what?"

"I don't think it wants to hurt us… It was protecting me before."

"Protecting you?" he echoed. "You do realize how crazy you sound, right?"

Sky rolled her eyes, "Believe me, I do. But… why would it turn on the Dark Maker you just killed, and then come and protect me? I think… I don't think it wants to fight."

Jak shook his head, the gun still pressed to the creature's temple, "I swear… if you're wrong…" He trailed off and lowered his gun, glaring at the Dark Maker. "You'd better start talking real soon."

The Dark Eco monster opened its mouth, a loud screech tearing up its throat, causing Jak and Sky to flinch away from the noise; their long ears twitching. Noticing its mistake, the Dark Maker gave a small sigh and took a step back, its form already beginning to quiver. Sky's head tipped to the side in confusion as she shared a glance with Jak. A small tinkling noise drew their attention again.

The Dark Maker was… shimmering. There really was no better word for it. Bright sparks danced off its skin as it blurred, the shape of it shrinking and paling before the eyes of the two Eco Demons. Jak raised his arm to cover his eyes while Sky continued watching in shock. When the bright light disappeared, the two took in the figure in front of them.

The tall, slim female that stood before them looked nothing like the creature that had been standing in the same spot only seconds earlier. The girl was slender and curvy with shoulder length, jet black hair that was perfectly straight. Her eyes were a deep purple, almost sinister in their colouring, but any traces of menace had been completely wiped. She wore a black cloak over a midnight black dress that swayed down to her ankles.

The woman took a deep breath, her rosy lips parting. Jak and Sky flinched in tandem at the sound of her high, tender voice.

"I guess I owe you an explanation."

* * *

The woman hadn't spoken since they left the battle scene. Jak said that he didn't want to hear her story until Sky was tended to. The fight had left both teenagers bloody and bruised. Sky's gashes were worse than Jak's, who simply had a few deep cuts here and there. Their tanned skin spotted with bruises and small cuts.

Sky flinched as Cal dabbed Green Eco on the gash that covered her back. She could feel the healing energy seeping into the wound, cleaning it. Kellan stood by her side, rubbing gentle circles into the skin of her hand each time she showed a sign of discomfort.

"How come I'm always the one that ends up with the worst injuries?" She asked, smiling at her friends before she glanced at the woman who was staring out the large windows. Just like what she had done before they left earlier in the day. "So… um… why did you save me?" Sky called, watching as the woman registered the question.

The strange newcomer turned, her deep purple eyes flitting across Sky's face, searching for understanding, like she had earlier. She wasn't sure if they would listen to her story, but it was worth a shot.

"It wouldn't be fair for you to die trying to keep your city safe," She sighed, expecting a rebuff.

"What's your name?" Jak asked, his eyes wary as he watched the woman walk forward, her dark cloak billowing out behind her.

"My name is Karina," She replied.

Sky bit down on her bottom lip as the wheels inside her head started spinning. The name sounded familiar, she just couldn't remember where she heard it.

"I was sent down from the Dark Maker ship with my comrades. My father tried to convince me that we had to destroy your planet to keep ourselves safe. He knows I don't believe him – It's not fair to kill just because you want to. My elders are drunk with power, believing that every planet can be conquered. Every battle can be won. He doesn't understand that I don't want to fight." She explained in a quiet voice, her shoulders sagging.

"That's right," Sky said, a smile lighting up her face. "You're Kyrian's daughter, aren't you?"

Karina nodded, "I believe you've already met him."

Sky laughed, "Oh yeah, we've met him."

"Why are your eyes such a deep purple?" Keira asked, peering at the strange girl from her spot next to Jak.

Karina smiled warmly, "It's from all the Dark Eco in my system. Being a creature born from the substance, it flows through my veins, changing me as much as possible."

"How come you can turn into an Elf?" Daxter asked, speaking for the first time since the three got back. He stood near Sky and Kellan with Tess wrapped safely in his arms.

The black haired woman gave a small sigh, "It's something that we haven't been able to fully understand ourselves. Not all Dark Makers can shift like I can. There's about two or three in every colony that have that particular gift. There's only one other in my colony that has the ability to do so."

"Do you have any theories?" Cal asked, glancing over Sky's shoulder as he dabbed more Green Eco on her skin.

Karina gave a small laugh, "Of course we have theories, mountains of them. Some are absolutely ridiculous. But… there's one that makes slight sense…" She took a deep breath and thought back to one of her elder's theories. "Someone once suggested that a few of us have the gift of shifting because, even though my race is a dark one – we have a shred of humanity in us, however small. In the end, everyone is equal, we're all different on the outside, but, somewhere deep inside, we all have the same values."

"So…" Sky began, her brow furrowing. Ever since her week of torture from a Dark Maker inflicted wound which opened the locked parts of her mind – she'd been able to better understand the abnormal, sometimes, Jak was left reeling as she raced on ahead. "Some of you are better in touch with that piece of humanity? You know yourself better… and so… you're able to make the change?"

"As confusing as that assumption is, its right. Sometimes I'm not even sure it makes sense. It takes a very open-minded person to even consider it."

"What happens now?" Kellan asked as Sky leaned into his side.

Karina glanced down at her feet, "Well… I know for a fact that there's a war coming, and I don't want to fight on the wrong side. So, I'd like to join you. I want to live in peace and have friends and basically have a life of my own that isn't controlled by my father." She looked up and made immediate eye contact with Sky, "I want to help."

The blue haired she-elf glanced at Torn, her ocean eyes burning. "She saved my life," She explained. "We _need _her." She whispered. "I believe every single thing she said, I'm in her debt. She stays."

Torn nodded. Sky was hardly ever wrong about these things; she was smart when it came to trusting people. Besides - anyone that kept one of his best fighters alive was immediately in his good books. "She stays," He echoed.

* * *

**Sky: Oh yeah! I make the decisions!  
Jak: -Grumbles-  
BWA: -Stares- ... Anywhooooo, Karina is the daughter of a dark maker named Kyrian who appears in Econs. So... if you don't recognise him or his daughter, for she was mentioned like... once, then you might want to jump back to the prequel.  
Jak: I liked the fight scene.  
Sky: Of course you did, trigger-happy moron.  
Jak: -Glares-  
Emmett: Dude, seriously, why are you always in such a bad mood?  
Jak: ....  
Everyone: -Waits-  
Jak: ...  
Sky: -Coughs-  
Jak: ........ We're out of ice cream.  
Emmett: I see.  
BWA: That's enough to make anyone angry.  
Sky: Should we go and get some ice cream for him?  
BWA: I guess we should. Anyway, if you could be so awesome as to leave a review on your way out. It would be greatly appreciated. They make me smile.  
Emmett: -Smiles-  
BWA: Aw... that's cute. I'll update as soon as I can!  
Jak: ... I want some ice cream.**

* * *


	4. The Dark Heart

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BWA: Okay, so.. chapter three. Sky, are you here?  
Sky: Yup.  
BWA: Jak?  
Jak: I have ice cream!  
BWA: Yes.. Keira?  
Keira: Yeah.  
BWA: Kellan?  
Kellan: Where's my spanner?  
BWA: .. Daxter?  
Daxter: -Runs in circles-  
BWA: ....... Tess?  
Tess: -Giggles-  
BWA: Karina?  
Karina: -Waves-  
BWA: Emmett?  
-Silence-  
BWA: Emmett?  
Emmett: -Pops up out of nowhere- Yessum?  
BWA: -Grins- Nothing, just wondering where you were. -Cuddles-  
Emmett: Aww!  
BWA: Mkay, that's everyone. Now that we're all here, I suppose we should get back to the story. A little more information on Karina, anyone?  
Karina: Yes, please.  
Emmett: Onward!

Disclaimer: Jak and Daxter, and all its characters belong to Naughty Dog. I know what's mine.

_

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_

_Chapter Three  
The Dark Heart_

Karina was proving to be a very committed part of Freedom HQ. No one held grudges against her for being a Dark Maker – instead, they all felt nothing but gratitude towards the woman for saving the life of their friend.

Torn and Karina were constantly in contact with Ashelin, trying to figure out as much as they could about the Dark Makers. Karina supplied information when she was needed, telling Torn about the weak points on a Dark Maker and what training they had been given. Karina would tell Cal legends about the Dark Makers, and stories of all the planets they had conquered. Karina didn't really like talking about it, but if it made Cal happy, she was more than willing to oblige.

Kellan and Keira were always pleasant towards Karina. They would talk animatedly while Jak and Sky were training. Keira and the purple-eyed woman even went out for coffee at one point. Karina had laughed and explained that she was able to consume normal food and drinks when Cal had given her a strange glance. For Cal, Karina was like the most enrapturing book – he was always asking questions, trying to remember every detail he was given.

Daxter warmed to Karina almost immediately. He was always cracking jokes and making her laugh, as he did with everyone. The black-haired woman found his sense of humour refreshing. She was always smiling around him. Tess was much the same; the two women got along famously.

Sky had grown close to Karina, having been thrown into a feeling of awe with the slender woman. She still struggled to wrap her head around the fact that this woman risked her life to save her. Jak and Karina got along rather well, too. Karina loved to train with the two Eco Demons, she would watch the way they moved and used Dark Eco to their advantage. She was dazzled by their actions.

But, with each passing day, Sky grew more and more frustrated. Torn, Karina and Ashelin were always brainstorming about ways to destroy the Dark Makers. At the end of each day, they'd come out of Torn's office and join the others, not telling them what the latest change was. That fact, along with her own fears and frustrations, Sky had a big build up of anger that needed to be released.

Three weeks after the first attack, Jak dragged Sky down to the Training Room and made her work out her anger while he listened.

"So, what's going on?" Jak asked, slightly breathless as Sky punched and kicked at the large red punching bag. He had taken his shirt off to provide him with a wider range of movement, his tanned skin covered in a thin sheen of sweat.

Sky wasn't much better, she was wearing a pair of tight fitting shorts and a shirt that hugged tight to her body and left her entire stomach bare. The straps coming up and over her shoulders. She was sweating profusely from all her fast, jerky movements. Thankfully, she'd remembered to put her hair up into a ponytail.

"Nothing," She huffed, landing two quick punches on the bag. "I'm fine."

Jak scoffed, "Cut the crap, Sky. I know you're pissed off."

She growled and did a perfectly executed spin-kick, watching as Jak grunted from the force. Yet he continued to hold the large object still. "I just don't see why we have to be kept in the dark," She said, continuing her assault on the punching bag. "Shouldn't we be told about what we're going to have to fight?" Her eyes narrowed and she launched herself upwards, landing two spin kicks on the punching bag before she touched the ground again.

Between the two Eco Demons, Jak had the shorter temper. Whereas Sky kept her frustrations bottled up or she pushed them aside. She was rarely so severely pissed off that Jak would have to step in. When Sky was angry, she was almost deadly.

Jak watched his comrade with a determined expression, "I'm sure they're just trying to keep us free from worry for the moment. If I were in their shoes, I wouldn't want my best fighters freaking out about possible attacks." He grunted, holding the punching bag still.

"Exactly!" She cried, slightly breathless from her unwavering movements. "I'm worrying! I don't know what's going on!" She suddenly stopped and slumped against the punching bag, staring straight into Jak's eyes as she spoke. "People could be getting killed right under our noses and we don't know about it. They could be keeping vital information from us. We have to act soon; otherwise we're going to fall."

Jak listened intently to what his fighting partner had to say. He'd known her for years and cared deeply for her. She was his best friend and he loved her like a sister. A single drop of sweat rolled down her cheek towards her soft jaw, and Jak found himself distracted by it. His blue eyes following the movement of it; Sky really was working herself too hard. But, that's how the woman vented her anger. He glanced up at her, his mouth opening as he prepared to speak, but what he saw made his muscles coil in anticipation of an attack.

Sky was staring at Jak, but, the look in her eyes made him feel as though she was staring past him. Her fingers had curled in, her nails scraping against the material of the punching bag. Her eyes burned with a black fire that Jak knew all too well. As he watched, her skin began to pale and her teeth grew in length, but it was enough to warn him of his friends coming outburst.

"Sky," He warned, but the curvaceous female didn't answer. Her lips pulled back from her sharpened teeth as a growl ripped up her throat and out. "Don't," He continued, watching her warily. "No!"

Jak moved just as Sky launched herself forward, her transformation taking less than a second. He wrapped his arms around her when they collided, her demonic form thrashing against him as they tumbled to the ground. Their momentum forced them backward, and they continued to roll before crashing into the wall. Jak forced Sky down onto the ground, holding her shoulders in his hands. She glared up at him with her pitch black eyes, snarls and hisses ripping from her clenched teeth as she struggled under his grip. Jak knew that when Sky lost control like this, it would take a hell of a lot of persuasion to calm her down.

"Sky." He began in a low, warning tone. "Stop."

Sky whipped her head to the side and attempted to sink her fangs into his arm, but she couldn't reach. The woman had become too lost in her anger that she had given full control to the demon inside her. She had given in to her baser instincts.

Knowing that he couldn't reason with her, Jak simply held her against the floor. He knew that somewhere in the back of her mind, Sky would hear him.

"Look, I understand." He said, staring straight into her black, anger filled eyes. "I know you're worried. We all are. But we have to be patient. They may not be telling us anything because there's nothing to tell; then again, maybe not. But we have to trust them." He kept his left hand pressed against her shoulder while he raised his right hand to cup her cheek. "Sky, we're dealing with the fact that there's a war coming. We have to be prepared. And sure, sometimes it means we have to wait. But, you can't let it get to you; we'll find out what's going on soon enough. We'll make this right. Trust me."

He watched as the demon stilled, its appearance changing back into the she-elf with the familiar blue eyes and the hair to match. Her chest heaved with her violent breaths, sweat continued to roll across her skin as she stared up at Jak. "I'm sorry," She whispered.

"Hey," He soothed, pulling her up into a sitting position. "Don't be sorry. You have every right to be upset, hell, I don't blame you. But, you just need to be patient, okay?"

She nodded, "Yeah."

Unable to help himself, he grinned. "Feeling better?"

She laughed and punched his shoulder, "Much. Thanks for putting up with me."

Jak rolled his eyes and helped her stand, "No worries. That's what I'm here for."

* * *

After the training session, Sky cleaned herself up and the two made their way into the main room. Keira, Kellan and Cal were there. Torn and Karina weren't, as usual.

Kellan turned as Jak and Sky walked in, "How was the venting session?" He asked as Sky walked up and slumped against his chest with a sigh. He chuckled and ran his fingers through her hair.

"Eventful," She breathed.

Jak laughed, "She tried to bite my arm off."

Keira looked up, "She did what?"

Sky stepped back and raised her hands in surrender, "It was an accident! I wasn't in control of myself."

'**Admit it, though.' **Her counterpart teased. **'You had fun.'**

Another gift that the two Eco Demons were given was the ability to converse with their dark counterparts. The two dark creatures were cocky, witty and had the annoying ability of speaking up at the most inappropriate of times. They had their moments when they were actually relaxed enough to be useful when it came for information digs.

Sky blew a strand of hair from her eyes as she glanced at a blue-print on the large metal desk, "What's that?" She asked.

Keira turned to grin at her, "Since there's a war on the way, we're gonna need to build you and Jak some of the best guns we can."

Sky and Keira shared a love of mechanics, although, Sky's forte was definitely being out in the field with Jak. Her boyfriend Kellan, however, was one of Freedom HQ's newest mechanics. Keira and Kellan were good at what they did, supplying Jak and Sky with the most high-tech mechanics possible to make their job easier.

The blue-haired she-elf leaned over Keira's shoulder to look at the build of the new gun on the large blue print. "Whoa, now that's a mean piece of machinery."

Kellan laughed, "We're going to give it a larger range of fire so you don't have to be so close to the enemy."

Jak grinned, "Sounds good."

Cal, who had been fiddling around with codes and all on a nearby computer looked up at the two Eco Demons. "I've been upgrading your logging systems; they've got holographic emitters in there, now. So it'll be that much easier for you to contact us when you're out in the open." He turned his head back to the screen and opened up a new diagram. "There's also a tracking chip in there, so we can keep track of you at all times. There are radars and all. It's very cool. Also, you'll be able to store more information in the actual logging part of the memory chip."

Sky laughed, "You're having fun with this, aren't you?"

He grinned, "Of course."

Jak rolled his eyes, "What else have you managed to think up within the last few weeks?"

Cal smirked, "I thought you'd never ask." He reached into a little silver box and pulled out a two white ear-pieces. "These are mini two-way radios. You'll connect them up to your ears and it sends sound up through your jaw line to the little microphone on the inside, allowing you to both speak and receive audio from any distance."

Sky pursed her lips in thought, "Impressive."

When the sound of an entrance echoed throughout the room, the group turned around to see Torn and Karina standing in the doorway. Sky bit down on her bottom lip as her heartbeat accelerated. This was what she had been waiting for, why was she so nervous?

Torn cleared his throat and made direct eye contact with the two Dark Elves. "We just got disconnected with Ashelin…" He trailed off, unsure of how to word his next piece of information.

Karina glanced at the Freedom leader with an understanding expression; she took over from where he stopped. "Your fears have been confirmed; the Dark Makers are going to strike, and soon. That first wave was a test to see if they could get past your defences. But, when you two took down their legion so quickly, they have taken time to lick their wounds. They will come, though. They will hit, and they will hit hard."

Jak was all business when he answered, "So, what do we do?" He asked.

"We're going to have to do some serious research if we want to take them down. We don't have time for mistakes. This has to be perfect."

"And you're willing to wipe out over half of your own kind?" Kellan asked, his hand wrapped around Sky's.

Karina nodded, "My race is full of merciless killers; they don't think before they act." She took a deep breath and averted her gaze. "I don't want anyone to have to pay for their carelessness anymore."

Silence fell over the room for a few moments. Everyone knew that this would be difficult for Karina – she would be killing off the creatures that taught her everything she knew. They told her stories of her ancient race, as evil as they were. This would hurt.

Sky stepped forward, away from Kellan so that she could rest a hand on the woman's shoulder, "We'll be by your side the whole way. It's time to set things right."

Jak smiled, "Sky's right. We're not going to let you fight on your own."

"What do you need us to do?" Sky asked, watching the fear and anguish slowly leave Karina's eyes. Warmth and determination took their places.

"Torn?" She asked.

Torn snapped out of his daze, "Right… Ashelin said that there may be some answers out in the Wasteland."

Truth be told, the two Eco Demons had never been to the Wasteland. They didn't now what lay out there but they knew that it was brutal. Hardly anyone survived in the Wasteland on their own.

"Looks like we'll be taking a trip to Spargus," Cal said with a laugh.

"The desert city?" Keira asked, glancing up from the blue-print her eyes had travelled back to. "I thought that place was just a myth."

Karina smiled and shook her head, "No, such a place does exist. I have been there before, many years ago." She looked away from Sky's curious gaze. "It should have the answers we need… a lot of things go unnoticed in the Wasteland. Ancient mysteries lay there."

"So, do we have an inkling of how we're going to take out the Dark Makers?" Kellan asked as Sky walked back to join him. "So far, we're out of ideas."

"There's a source of energy that the Dark Makers thrive off," Torn explained. "Karina knows well of it. If we can get close enough to destroy it, the release of Dark Energy should wipe out the battalion there."

Karina nodded and pulled a piece of paper from the pocket of her jeans, having changed from her dress and cloak into proper Haven attire. The group watched as she unfolded the piece of paper and held it up. A large, purple sphere was sketched onto the paper. It looked as though it would start swirling in a way that would leave any normal being dazed.

"What's that?" Cal asked, leaning over the desk.

"This is our source of power," Karina answered. "This sphere gives us the power to… reproduce, I suppose you could say. It provides enough Dark Eco to duplicate ourselves, but we come out much younger, all memories wiped. That's how we recover our numbers after a battle… how we build our armies."

Keira shuddered delicately, "Where is the sphere kept?"

"That's the problem," Karina said. "The sphere is in a guarded section on the Dark Maker ship. We brought it with us just in case we needed to replenish our numbers. In doing so, we risked the fall of the planets my kind has already conquered. It's sort of a strengthening force for my kind. It keeps us strong and allows us to use our powers to the fullest potential."

"Will it have any effects on you?"

"What?"

"The sphere," Keira clarified. "If it's destroyed… will it harm you?"

Karina shook her head, "No. Because I've got the gift of shifting, I'm becoming more and more Elvin every day. Soon enough, I won't be able to turn into a Dark Maker anymore, but I will always have Dark Eco in my system and a few tricks up my sleeve."

Jak listened in confusion, "And… you're willing to give that up?" He asked.

"Of course. Life as a Dark Maker holds little to no meaning for me anymore. I know where I belong."

Sky nodded, "So, does this thing have a name?"

"Many," Karina answered. "But, the most common name is the Dark Heart."

"Spooky," Cal echoed.

"How do we destroy it?" Jak asked.

Karina shrugged, "That's the thing. We were never told such information; the elders were worried that a rebellious Dark Maker would feel the need to destroy it to prove a point. Only the elders know how to destroy it, and, no matter how much one was to plead, they will never tell."

Kellan sighed, "So… we've already reached a dead end?"

"Not exactly," Torn interjected.

"What do you mean?"

The Freedom leader wandered towards one of the large screens, following some sort of tracking device. "We were able to locate a… shrine almost, in the Wasteland. There are old legends there, hopefully ones that will be of use to us."

"So, what you're saying is… that's where we need to go?" Jak asked, moving closer to Keira.

Karina decided to step in, "We're saying it's our best bet. The legends there date back to before this ancient war began. There's bound to be something there about the Dark Heart. You'll be surprised to find out what the Wasteland Monks are able to uncover."

Sky nodded, rolling her shoulders. "That's the most we can ask for, I suppose." She glanced over at Torn. "When do we leave?"

Torn turned around to face the two Eco Demons, "Not for a few days. I want to make sure that your transport is well protected and that you have the right kind of machinery and armour to face the harsh desert. This isn't going to be a walk in the park. But, you're the only two people we have that are skilled enough to face this."

Jak rolled his eyes, "Also, we're the only two people in Haven City that have been mutated by Dark Eco."

Torn smirked, "Yeah. That too."

* * *

**BWA: Yep, we're off to the Wasteland in the next chapter! Is everyone packed?  
Emmett: Water?  
Sky: Check!  
Emmett: Water?  
Jak: Check!  
Emmett: Water?  
Kellan: Check!  
Emmett: Water?  
Keira: Check!  
Emmett: Water?  
Karina: Check!  
Emmett: Water?  
Daxter: Check!  
Emmett: Water?  
Tess: Check!  
Emmett: Did I mention water?  
BWA: .. I think you did.  
Emmett: Well then, yeah, we've got everything.  
BWA: Awesome! Anyway, what did you think? Now we know what destroys the Dark Makers, we just have to find out how to go about it. How will we find the answers?  
Emmett: -Sneezes-  
BWA: Bless you.  
Emmett: Thanks.  
BWA: Anyway, as always, leave a review and tell me what you think. I love hearing from you!  
Sky: Did we pack water??**

* * *


	5. Fader

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BWA: Aaaaaaaaaaand we're back!  
Emmett: Are we live?  
BWA: You know it.  
Jak: Where's my bagel?!?!  
Emmett: ... Do Elves eat bagel's?  
Jak: Do vampires?  
Emmett: Nope. We only drink blood.  
Jak: ...... -Runs away-  
Emmett: -Laughs- Animal blood, idiot!  
Jak: -Squeals and runs faster-  
BWA: I don't think he heard you right.  
Emmett: -Shrugs- Where is everyone, anyway?  
BWA: Um.. as far as I know, they're all getting ready to leave for Spargus. Let me tell you, we have SO much water.  
Emmett: Well.. we had to pack it.  
BWA: Yeah, yeah, I know. Anyway, this chapter is a little bit of a filler, I suppose. You find out a bit about life before the war for the two demons that we love so much.  
Emmett: Unfortunately, life beforehand wasn't much better, was it?  
BWA: Nope.. You might want to keep some tissues on standby. Trust me, I cried a little when I wrote Sky's story.  
Emmett: Aww! -Cuddles- Read on!

_

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_

_Chapter Four  
Fader_

Now that the Freedom Fighters had a goal, they focused on nothing but getting the two Eco Demons out into the desert city of Spargus. Ashelin pulled all the strings she could to ensure a safe travel for the group.

Keira and Sky had taken it upon themselves to continue on with the new guns that had been given the go-ahead.

"Do you think we'll be able to prevent a war from happening?" Keira asked, running her fingers across the blue-print as the two girls worked on pieces of machinery in the Freedom Garage.

Sky shook her head, gently welding a piece of metal to the rest of the disjointed gun. "I don't think we'll be able to prevent a war, the most we can do is prepare as much as possible."

Keira sighed, sitting down on a nearby chair, "So… is there no hope for us?"

Sky stopped her movements and looked up. "Keira, there is always hope! This is just going to be tricky."

"You're right. But… we're going to Spargus. You and Jak are going to have to go out into the Wasteland, people die out there!"

The blue-haired Freedom Fighter walked over to her friend, kneeling before her and placing her hands on the sitting girls' knees. "Keira, this is just the way things are for Jak and me. We don't expect less than what we get. We're the best fighters here, we have to be put on the front line, and we have to do the dangerous jobs. That's just a consequence that comes from being like us."

"I wish it were different…" The young mechanic sighed.

Sky smiled warmly, "Are you sure? If Haven didn't have creatures like me and Jak, and the Dark Makers continued to wreak havoc, would you have what it takes to knock them back?"

Keira shook her head, "No. But… I just don't like thinking about the fact that… whenever you two go out on a mission… there's the possibility that you might not come back."

"Keira," Sky scolded, her tone playful. "I'm a little offended. A bit of trust, please?" She smiled. "Keira… Jak and I have been fighting together for years; we know what we're doing. This is what we were trained to do. We have to put our city and the safety of its civilians before ourselves." She sighed and ran a hand through her long hair, "But, whenever I'm out, I constantly yearn to be back with Kellan. But, he knows I'll always come back to him. Which Jak will always do with you. Just trust us, Keira."

The girl smiled, "Of course. You're my best friend, why wouldn't I trust you?"

The two girls laughed quietly, sharing a quick embrace before moving back to their work. Not too long after, Kellan and Jak wandered in, both had large smiles on their faces, having gone for a spin on some new, turbo powered zoomer's.

Jak winked at Sky before moving to run his hands along the distorted piece of metal which distantly resembled the new gun. "When can I test it?" He asked, about to pick it up, but Sky swatted his hands away.

Sky grinned, "When it's finished, Jak." She reached up to ruffle his hair before she turned to Kellan. "How did the drive go?"

The green-eyed elf grinned widely, "They manoeuvre like you wouldn't believe." He sighed, remembering the easy turns and the sudden lurch from the turbo boosters. "But… there's a slight grab in the right hand accelerator. Would you mind helping me?"

The bright eyed she-elf winked, more than happy to tinker with such an interesting piece of machinery. "Of course, lead the way!" She laughed as Kellan took her hand and showed her the way to her latest piece of work.

Jak watched the two go with a smile, but was caught off guard by the slender body that curved around his. He glanced down to see Keira clinging to him for dear life. "Keira?" He asked, pulling away when she sniffed. "Sweetheart, what's wrong?"

Keira shook her head, mentally scolding herself for letting her emotions get the better of her. "I'm sorry… I guess, I'm just a little nervous. I've never been involved in a war before…"

Jak smiled and lovingly pulled her closer, pressing his lips to the top of her head. "If it were up to me, you wouldn't have to be. But, this is a part of who I am."

Keira laughed quietly, "Sky said the same thing."

The blonde elf smiled again, "Exactly. You just need to trust us, everything will be okay."

She sighed, "I know. I trust you."

* * *

Three days later, just as Haven's twin suns began to rise over the large hills, a Freedom Carrier shot across the horizon.

Sky, Jak, Kellan, Keira, Daxter, Tess and Karina all sat together in the large back section of the carrier. Daxter and Tess had come along because they were stubborn as hell, saying that they wouldn't miss a chance to see the two Eco Demons do their stuff. And, even though Daxter wouldn't admit it, they would worry like a pair of crazies until the group got back.

Light chatter had been tossed about; Keira and Sky mainly spoke about the gun mod that they had recently finished. It was in perfect working order, and the two Dark Elves couldn't wait to test them out on the infamous Wasteland Metal-Heads.

Karina watched the two battle-hardened Freedom Fighters. She realized that, over the few weeks that she'd known the two elves, she had never once heard them speak of their families. It was a topic that made her very curious, as she wanted to hear about who gave life to the two strange creatures.

Sky turned away from Kellan to see Karina watching her with an unreadable expression. "Is something wrong, Karina?" The she-elf asked, her head tipping to the side.

The purple-eyed Dark Maker turned Elf smiled a little and shook her head, her hair swishing with the motion. "Not really… I was just wondering about your parents."

Sky suddenly stiffened and Kellan wrapped his arm a little tighter around her waist. Both Kellan and Jak had had this conversation with the blue haired she-elf. It was one that would make someone rather emotional, but as the years went on, the curvaceous woman learned to keep her emotions in check.

"What about them?" She asked, her voice thickly covering her anxiousness.

"Everything, tell me about them." She urged, "You never speak of them, I was wondering why?"

The she-elf took a shuddering breath and turned her head into Kellan's chest. He wrapped his arms around her and pressed a kiss to her hair as she tried to calm herself down.

Jak made eye contact with the confused woman, his eyes solemn, "Sky's parents passed away when she was a child."

Karina gasped, her hand whipping up to cover her mouth, "Oh, Sky – I'm so sorry!"

Sky raised her head, her eyes glistening with unshed tears, "No, it's okay. It's my fault for not telling you."

"You don't have to talk about it if you don't –"

"No," She interrupted. "I want you to know about them."

Karina nodded and waited silently for Sky to continue.

"My parents were the two most loving, gentle people I'd ever met. My father, Dylan, worked at the Stadium. He taught me everything I needed to know about machinery. My mother, Vidia, would stay at home and take care of me when Dad was out." She took a deep breath.

"They sound wonderful," Karina commented, feeling her eyes prick uncomfortably at Sky's grief.

"They were," She replied. "Dad was good friends with Torn, having found him a place to stay after he left the Krimzon Guard. Because, of course; the Underground wasn't founded straight away."

"The Underground?" Karina asked, confused.

"The Underground was a secret movement that was working to overthrow Baron Praxis, the ruler of Haven City. He was cruel, selfish and vile." Jak interjected.

"That's right," Sky whispered. "Anyway, when I was seven, my mother got sick. We don't know what she caught or how she caught it, but she was stuck in bed from the first cough." Her eyes welled up again and she sniffed. "I sat by her bedside the whole time, and yet I never caught what she had. My father stopped going to work, saying that Vidia was more important." She paused. "Two weeks later… she was gone."

"Oh no…" Keira breathed, curling into Jak's side, for she had never heard this story before.

"My father, having been my mothers other half, soon fell ill with the same sickness." She continued. "I called Torn, but he didn't know what was wrong either. My father had a fever, a cough and grew paler with each passing hour. He would whisper and whine for my mother, but, as his two weeks came to a close, he grew calm. He would say that he'd be with my mother soon." She paused to wipe her tears. "The night he died, I was still by his bedside; he said that my mother died because it was her time to go, and now it was his." As she spoke, her voice began to shake and crack. "He said that, no matter what happens, he and my mother would always love me, and that they were proud of who I was and who I would become." She took a slow breath, "He would whisper to me, saying that he loved me, and when midnight struck, he took his last breath."

Kellan and Jak both lowered their heads in sympathy, while Tess and Keira wiped away their tears. Daxter held his girlfriend close to his side, his breathing shaky. Karina continued to watch the she-elf, a drop of water rolling down her cheek as she took in the tale of ancient grief. "What happened after that?" She asked quietly.

Sky smiled a little, tears rolling over her lips, "Torn took me in after that. I inherited everything from my parents, so I stayed at the house and Torn would come to check on me each day. When I turned sixteen, the Underground was a year old, and I joined the day after my birthday. Torn taught me everything when it came to fighting – the first mission I finished, he said that my parents would have been proud of me." She sighed quietly.

Kellan pulled her close, "In the end, everything worked out."

She nodded, "I guess so. I am who I am because of what I've been through. While I still wish my parents were around, I'm glad they taught me what they did. I'm proud to be their daughter."

"As you should be," Keira replied.

"What about you, Jak?" Daxter asked, speaking for the first time since Karina asked about Sky's family. "What happened to your folks?"

The blonde elf shrugged, "I don't know."

Tess raised an eyebrow, "You don't know? How can you not know?"

Jak shrugged again, "I have no memories of them. The earliest memory I have is of Sky helping me up off the ground in Haven Forest."

Sky smiled, "The day we met." She explained. "After we had been turned, we had gone in search of each other. I ended up in Haven Forest and Jak was sleeping next to a tree."

Kellan looked at Jak with wide eyes, Sky had told him about how they had met, but he had never heard Jak's side of the story before. "Wait, so you have no memory of your parents, whatsoever?"

He shook his head, "None at all."

"It's not as hard for Jak," Sky interrupted. "In losing his memories, from the Dark Eco we're guessing, he has no one to pine for."

Jak smiled, "Sky is my family now. All of you are."

The group smiled at each other as Torn's voice came over the intercom. "Okay everyone, we're here… brace yourselves for the landing, it might be a little bumpy."

"What does he mean?" Tess asked.

Sky, now back to normal, grinned. "The Wasteland desert doesn't have concrete flooring, Tess. It's all sand out here, and sand isn't the most stable thing to land on."

As promised, the landing was bumpy. The carrier had to find a place where the sand wouldn't swallow any parts of machinery. But, once they were safely on the ground, things were okay.

Jak and Sky shared a smile as they strapped on their armour. It was old, ancient precursor armour that Ashelin had found in the Palace. She had no need for it, so she gave both sets of body plates to Torn. Shoulder plates, arm plates, breast plates and shin guards made up the armour. It was light and hugged to the body, allowing free movement, but was totally and completely indestructible.

Torn threw the two Eco Demons a pair of goggles which they put on to protect their eyes from the violent sands, the two already tying scarves around their necks to protect the rest of their face. Torn handed the others their protective gear before the hatch opened, revealing the harsh Wasteland desert.

The heat was the first thing they noticed, the wind whipped sand against their clothed bodies. Jak could already feel sweat beading on the back of his neck as they fought against the billowing sands. Through the harsh sandstorm, they noticed a large metal door in front of them, surprised that they didn't notice it sooner. A loud beep was heard before the large doors opened.

The person waiting for the two Elves was not the person that they were expecting to see.

* * *

**BWA: Ooooooooh! Do you know who it is?  
Sky: ...No.  
BWA: Really? I thought it would have been pretty obvious... Huh.  
Karina: How in the heck do you pronounce Sky's mum's name.  
BWA: Oh, Vidia? Mkay.. Vidia: Vid-ee-ah. Better?  
Karina: Yep.  
BWA: Alrighty.. well, so far I only have two reviews.. but more than two people have favourited this or put it on alert. -Sniffles- So please, if you're reading, leave a review. I'd love to hear what you think.  
Emmett: Yeah!  
Sky: Where's Jak?  
Emmett: Probably still running.  
BWA: -Snorts- Idiot. Anyway, that's about it from us. We'll see you again soon for the next chapter!  
Emmett: Oh Jaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaak!  
Jak: -Squeals-**

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	6. Warm Welcome

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BWA: And we're back for yet another chapter of this crazy story. Jak, Sky and a heck of a lot of other people have been waiting on the outside of the Spargus gates for quite some time, so I think it's time we let them in.. Open it up, Emmett!  
Emmett: -Opens gates-  
Everyone outside: -Coughs, chokes and stumbles inside-  
BWA: Oops.. Water anyone?

Disclaimer: Jak and Daxter belongs to Naughty Dog - I know what's mine.

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_Chapter Five  
Warm Welcome_

"Sig?"

It was indeed Sig. The large Elf, covered in grey armour with a little red eye-piece stood before them, watching with an amused expression as the two Havener's shook the sand from their bodies.

"Well, we heard there was a Haven Carrier requesting permission to land. I never expected you two to be on it." He commented.

Sky smiled up at him, "Top Secret Government Mission, sorry, can't spill the beans." She teased, laughing when Jak elbowed her in the ribs.

"Still a smart-ass, hey cherry?" He replied.

Jak rolled his eyes, "Of course she is." He paused for a moment, thinking something over. "Sig, what the hell are you doing here?"

Sig gave a hard smile, wanting to warm to his old friends but still following his orders to interrogate whoever wanted to enter the city. "I've been a proud citizen of Spargus for quite a few years, Cherries. I thought it was time for me to come home."

Sky raised an eyebrow, "That doesn't sound like a legit answer to the question I was just about to ask. What were you doing in Haven, then?"

The Wastelander rolled his eyes, "I'll tell you later, right now you need to tell me what you're doing here."

Torn, having watched the three interact, decided it was time to interrupt. "We're here to search through some old ruins. We're planning a direct attack on a nearby Dark Maker ship, it's holding their source of power, and we need to destroy it to wipe their race."

Sig's eyebrows shot up, the eye uncovered by a red eyepiece widening. "You want to take them all out in one go? We've been trying to figure out how to get to them for years… what makes you think you've got it right?"

"We've had some help," Sky answered, jerking her head towards Karina, who stood back, watching Sig with a curious expression.

The large Elf raked his eyes over the newcomer, a flicker of recognition dancing in his eyes. Karina shifted uncomfortably, wanting to be out of the spotlight.

Sig smiled a little and waved for them to follow him, "Come on, King Damas will want to see you."

Sky laughed in shock, "This place has a King?" She asked in disbelief.

The muscled Wastelander rolled his eyes, "Well, he's no Baroness Praxis, but he keeps us safe. Come on, Chilly Peppers."

The blue haired she-elf turned her head to look at Kellan who hadn't said a word since they got off the Carrier. She bit down on her bottom lip as she reached out to gently brush her fingers against his arm. Kellan glanced down at her with a smile.

"Is everything alright?" She asked as they walked towards a smaller set of metal doors. They hummed and whirred as they opened.

Kellan ran a hand through his short brown hair, the blonde streaks reflecting the light as they stepped out into the sun. Sky wasn't yet ready to take in the scenery; she was more worried about the man that stood beside her.

"I'm just a little overwhelmed. I mean… this morning, we were in Haven City; and now, we're out in the middle of the Wasteland trying to figure out how to destroy a race of Dark Makers." He muttered, squinting away from the harsh sunlight.

Sig, who was walking not too far ahead, tilted his head to the side as he listened. What answers were they expecting to find in the Wasteland? He highly doubted that the Monks knew anything. Even if they did, they were too uptight to share their thoughts, unless they hated you. Then you'd get a fine case of Precursor Monk Share and Care.

Sky, completely oblivious to the fact that the Wastelander was listening in, answered Kellan's statement. "It's all a bit surreal, isn't it? But… this is what Jak and I do everyday. You get used to it after a while."

Kellan laughed, taking Sky's hand in his own. "I don't see how."

The she-elf rolled her eyes before taking in the large expanse of Spargus that they were walking through. There was sand everywhere, and that's putting it lightly. There were houses all bunched together, seeming to be made out of some form of concrete. They looked cracked and worn from the outside, but anyone who had lived in this strange city long enough knew that they were some of the most sturdiest homes one could live in. The thing that shocked the young elves the most was that no one went without a firearm. Both males and females had guns and blades strapped to their backs or to their belts. Sky's muscles coiled back, her eyes flicking from side to side, watching for any surprise attacks.

Jak was much the same, his arm wrapped firmly around Keira's waist as he moved to catch up to Sig. "So, what's the story behind this place?" He asked.

Sig glanced down at the young blonde elf, raising his hand to shield his eyes from the sun. "Well… Spargus was founded about seven years back by King Damas himself. This place had been pinned as an ancient ruin, worthy of braving the fiercest of Sandstorms. Damas, along with the other exiled citizens, worked to rebuild this place. It took a year and a half at the most – but then, the people that left Haven for something better, spread the word to their families and friends. That's how the population grew. Children have been born here, quite a number, too. The citizens continue to flourish and coexist in peace."

"That's quite a story," Kellan commented, glancing down at Sky who still looked on-edge. "If this is supposed to be such a peaceful place, why is everyone walking around with weapons strapped to their bodies?"

Sig laughed loudly, drawing the attention of quite a few bystanders. "Only a Havener would be worried about that. It's just for protection. We have our own kinds of Metal Heads out here; they give us some trouble from time to time. Everyone here is a professional fighter, so don't piss anyone off, otherwise you won't see the sunrise tomorrow morning."

"Charming," Daxter muttered, watching as a large, burly man wandered past, his gun held firmly in his grip.

"Wait, you guys have Metal Heads out here? Sky and I took out their leader years ago." Jak said in surprise.

"Jak, you ain't ever seen a Wasteland Metal Head. Nasty suckers, but a hell of a lot of fun when it comes to blowing their brains out."

"Any other things we should be worried about?" Torn asked, having been on his communicator since he last spoke.

"Yeah, the Marauders might give you a bit of trouble, but they're a bunch of pansies. Nothing to worry about if you've got guts." He answered, leading them into a large building, and down the endless expanse of corridors.

When they reached their destination, the sound of rushing water became the only noise in the room. This large chamber of sorts was much more regal than the rest of the city. Every surface was made from peculiar bronze shaded rocks, a large throne sat at the head of the room. In it was a middle aged man with a hardened face and fierce scowl that made Daxter squirm on the spot.

Sig walked forward before dropping onto one knee and bowing his head. "These are the citizens brought in by the Haven Carrier, Your Majesty. I knew them from my time in Haven, they mean us know harm. Two are the Haven Dark Demons, Sire. They come to seek answers to their looping questions."

"Thank you, Sig." The man answered, and Jak tilted his head to the side. The deep, bass tone seemed to prod at an old memory. "I've heard quite a bit about the Haven City Eco Demons. Which of you bear that title? Step forward."

Sky stepped forward with Jak at her side, after sharing a glance; they dropped to their knees in respect for the man they didn't know.

"Ah," The man sighed. "I thought it may have been you two. Your eyes hold a flicker of fire in them; eyes that I assume have seen many battles?"

"Yes," Jak replied, raising his head. "We've seen many a battle."

The man smiled, curling his fingers in a gesture for them to stand. "I am King Damas; let me be the first to formally welcome you to Spargus."

"Thank you," Sky answered respectfully. "We've actually come to ask for help."

Damas inclined his head, waiting for an explanation. When Karina shyly stepped forward, his violet eyes shot to her, widening in response as recognition washed across his face. "Karina?" He asked.

The slender woman smiled timidly, "Long time, no see, Damas. It certainly has been a while, hasn't it?"

To the shock of everyone in the room, Damas rose from his throne, descended the few steps before him and pulled the young woman into a loving embrace. "You haven't changed a bit," He laughed into her jet black hair. "How long has it been?"

Karina gave a small laugh, "Years."

Sig cleared his throat, capturing the Kings' attention. "Majesty… you two have been acquainted before?"

Damas nodded with a smile, "Many years ago, a young girl stumbled to the Spargus gates, bloody and bruised. I took her in, nursed her back to health and demanded to hear her story."

Karina smiled in response. "We'd been involved in a large wave of attacks at the Precursor temple; I was injured and left for dead. I could feel the rushing of an Eco flow below my feet, so I followed it back to Spargus, where my Dark Eco levels were replenished and I was welcomed with open arms."

Torn scratched the back of his neck. "So… you know that she's…?"

"A Dark Maker? Yes." The King answered. "She always had good intentions, and I trusted her. She made for some rather pleasant company back then." He chuckled at a fond memory before turning back to the girl that stood beside him. "Now, my dear, what is it that you need?"

Karina took a deep breath to steady herself before she answered. "We're looking to find legends of the Dark Heart, the source of power for my kind. I heard that answers could be found here."

Damas nodded, listening intently. "That I am quite sure of. But, whatever do you need the legends for?"

"We're planning on destroying it. We're going to wipe out my race to keep this planet safe."

The Kings' eyes widened, "You want to take out your own race?"

Karina laughed, "Look at me and tell me if I resemble a Dark Maker, Damas. I've made my choice; I now plan to act on it."

"Very well," he nodded solemnly. "But, must it all be sorted today? I get the feeling you will be here for quite a while. Why not go and rest, perhaps join me for dinner?"

Karina smiled, "That sounds wonderful. It will be good to catch up with such an old friend."

Damas rolled his eyes before turning to the Wastelander that stood behind the Kings' guests. "Sig? Please escort the Havener's to their rooms, help them get settled."

Sig nodded his head, "Consider it done, Majesty."

The King smiled, "Good. I look forward to seeing you all at dinner."

As the group of Elves walked towards the large double doors they'd come through, Keira glanced over her shoulder. Her eyes locked with the violet eyes belonging to the King of Spargus. The King nodded with a smile and Keira smiled in return, sighing in relief. Jak glanced down at her, sharing a smile with a question in his eyes. Keira laughed quietly and shook her head.

* * *

Sky huffed in irritation, searching through her things. Kellan stood behind her dressed in a pair of jeans and a white button down shirt. The flashiest clothes he had brought with them. Sky was considered a lady in the Spargus palace, so, when in the presence of the King, she had to dress like one. Unfortunately for Sky, dressing girly wasn't something she did, more or less pack for.

"This is impossible!" She cried, throwing her arms above her head and flopping down onto the bed. The moonlight from the large floor-to-ceiling windows casting the light of the moon into their spacious room.

Kellan chuckled and sat on the bed next to where she was laying. He rested his hand on her flat, toned stomach, watching her with an eyebrow raised. "What's impossible?"

"This!" She whined, gesturing madly to her clothes. "I'm not even a citizen but I have to be regal and a _lady _in the presence of the King? I don't know how to be a lady!"

He laughed, bending down to press a soft kiss to her neck. "That's what you get for growing up around Torn."

She giggled quietly, shoving on his shoulders so that she could sit up. She smoothed down her barely there shirt. Thanks to the Spargus heat, she was stuck wearing small, tight fitting shirts and short shorts. Not that Kellan was complaining. "I really don't know what to wear. And I don't think the King would appreciate me walking in to dinner wearing jeans and a ripped up shirt."

Just as she finished her sentence, a timid knock came from the door.

"Come in," Sky called, sitting up straighter.

The door opened and a petite young brunette walked in the door, holding a midnight black evening gown in her hands. "The King thought you might need some help with the appropriate attire." She said with a smile. "Your friends have been given the same dress, just in a different colour." She set the fabric down on the bed before bowing her head and walking back out the door.

Kellan smiled and picked up the dress, feeling the silky material slide through his fingers. "This is pretty, Sky." He muttered, watching as it shimmered from hitting the light a certain way. "You'd look nice in th-" His sentence stuck in his throat as Sky stood up and peeled her shirt from her body.

"It looks divine, but there's no way I'm putting it on while I'm covered in sand and sweat. We have a shower, why not use it?" She grinned, swinging her hips as she pulled her shorts down her legs. "Care to join me?"

Kellan didn't waste any time picking her up and all but sprinting to the bathroom, Sky nothing but a giggling mess in his arms.

* * *

Keira placed a clip very carefully into the intricate design that she'd morphed her hair into. She looked just like a princess from the old Haven Fairy Tales. For once, the young she-elf actually believed them, having been swept off her feet by her very own Prince Charming.

She sighed in contentment, shifting so that she could pull the delicate strap of her snow white dress over her shoulder. There was series of buttons at the back that she couldn't reach; she gave a small huff of frustration.

"Need some help, sweetheart?" A soft voice called from behind her.

Keira turned her head away from the mirror hanging on the wall when she felt Jak's arms wind around her waist. She exhaled heavily when he placed a gentle kiss on her shoulder. "Could you do these buttons up for me?" She asked.

Jak chuckled but let his fingers glide across her skin, over the silk of her dress to the small brass buttons at her back. He did them up with nimble fingers, kissing the skin as he went. When he finished, he placed his chin on her shoulder, meeting her emerald eyes in the mirror. "You look stunning, Keira. Like royalty."

Keira laughed, tilting her head back a little. "Royalty is just another word for having a crown and a hell of a lot of responsibilities. This is so much more than that."

"You're right," He replied. "This is love."

The young girl sighed again, a smile on her face. "When did you turn into such a romantic? You were always the battle hardened Freedom Fighter with the smart-ass attitude. Where did he go?"

He grinned against her soft skin, "He traded it all in for something better. You bring out the best in me, Keira. Someone I thought was long gone."

"I'm glad," She muttered dreamily. "You were fine just the way you were, I'll have you know."

"He's always there in the back of my mind," he replied. "In the form of a demon that pisses me off twenty-four seven."

'**Watch it, punk.'**

Jak rolled his eyes, watching as Keira turned around and straightened his shirt. It was much the same as the one Kellan wore. Jak, like Sky, didn't know how to dress respectfully.

"Now," Keira began, amusement in her eyes. "Behave yourself tonight. No arm wrestles and eating like a pig. Save that for dinner at HQ."

Jak smiled, "You just ruined my fun, you know that, right?"

Keira, winking slyly, leaned forward to whisper in Jak's ear. "Not all fun is at the dinner table, Jak."

The young elf shivered as his girlfriend leaned away. With a smile on his face, he leaned in after her, brushing his lips against hers as he spoke. "You really are a little vixen, aren't you?" He asked, craning his neck and very gently pressing his lips to Keira's.

Her arms wound around his neck, her fingers trailing through his green hair with the blonde tips she'd come to love over the last few months. Jak gently grabbed onto her waist, feeling the supple skin of her hips through the silky material of her dress. She sighed against his lips, pulling away to catch a single breath before meeting his again. Their lips glided together, whispering inaudible words of love and affection.

Just like a Fairy Tale.

* * *

When they were all dressed and ready, Jak and Keira wandered through the halls, being led by a maid with fiery red hair. She tossed around light conversation as they made their way to the Dining Room. She told them of the large feast that had been prepared for the newcomers. It wasn't often that the King took such a shine to people.

The two joined Kellan and Sky as well as Daxter and Tess just outside the large room. Tess looked very pretty in a simple sunshine yellow dress, the same design, only different in colour. Sky was much the same in her delicate black number, it accentuated the feminine curves of her waist. Keira still couldn't believe how someone so beautiful could fight so well. Fighting was always left to the men, but then again, Sky always did her own thing in the situations that life threw at her.

"Oh," Keira gasped, stepping out of Jak's embrace to meet Sky and Tess in the middle of the small waiting room. "Girls, you look beautiful."

Tess laughed, waving a dismissive hand, "Nonsense, you look breathtaking, Keira. Just like a princess."

Keira blushed, "Jak said something along those lines."

Sky grinned, "And so he should."

As the three girls conversed, Jak, Kellan and Daxter watched on with smiles on their faces.

"Honestly, how did a bunch of boneheads like us end up with goddesses like that?" Daxter asked, making an hourglass motion with his hands.

Kellan laughed, "You're the only bonehead here, dude."

Jak smiled, "It's all luck, gentlemen. Luck that those three decided to love us when they could have anyone they desire."

Daxter gagged, "Alright, you big sap. You've been spending too much time around Sky and Keira. We're taking you out drinking the minute we get back to Haven."

"You're in for it now, Jak." Kellan teased.

"What are you smirking about, smart-ass?" Daxter asked, whacking Kellan upside the head. "You're coming with us."

The low sound of footsteps reached the ears of the two Eco Demons, who turned to see Karina walk into the room, wearing a tight fitted silver dress. She brushed a strand of hair behind her ear as she blushed, wandering over to the group of girls and easing herself into the conversation.

The quiet sound of a throat being cleared captured the attention of the teens in the room. Sig smiled at them before pushing the large double doors open and ushering the group in. King Damas sat at the head of the table with a smile on his face. There were foods of all kinds sitting on the large dining table – fruit and meat and pastries and all. Tess had to push Daxter's mouth closed at one point.

The event passed in a tasteful fashion. Karina shared some of her stories from her last stay in Spargus while Damas asked about Jak and Sky's peculiar abilities – what technique they had, and was surprised to hear that they'd never been trained in the art of sword-fighting.

"We'll have someone teach you how to wield a melee weapon. It takes skill and patience to get it right, but I have faith that the two of you will have no problem with it."

As the meal wound down, conversation began to dwindle. Damas noticed quite a few drooping eyelids. "I'm sorry, all." He apologized. "You must be exhausted – I'll let you head back to your rooms in just a moment. I have one more matter of business to attend to. Keira?" The she-elf looked up. "I believe there's someone on the other side of those doors that you haven't seen for a while. Send him in!"

Keira watched with wide eyes as the doors opened and a small man with snow white hair wrapped around a log on top of his head wandered in on tree stump shoes. His skin had a deep green tint but his smile was warm and genuine. He came up to Keira's elbows.

"Daddy!" She cried, shooting out of her chair and dropping to her knees to embrace the small man who laughed and wrapped his arms around her.

"It's good to see you, my dear."

Keira giggled quietly, pulling away so that she could stand up and wipe her tears. "This is my father, Samos, the Green Eco Sage." There was so much pride in her voice that no one dared speak a word. "Daddy, I'd like you to meet my friends; Daxter and Tess, Kellan and Sky, Karina and Jak."

Samos looked from Jak to Keira and back again, a knowing smile on his lips. "It's nice to meet you, my boy." Samos greeted, shaking Jak's hand.

"Same to you," Jak replied, somewhat dazed.

Keira smiled brightly. "Daddy moved from Haven to Spargus while King Damas was rebuilding the city. He's needed here more than back in Haven. He sent me to live with my cousin in Haven until I was old enough to make my own decisions. By that time I'd already gotten a job at the Stadium. My life was too good to leave behind."

Jak stared up at her with an awed expression, "Keira, how come you never told me?"

Keira smiled. "You never asked."

* * *

**BWA: I realized that I never mentioned Samos in "Econs".. but hey, better late than never, no? He won't play a very big part in this story, but he deserved a mention.  
Emmett: Who would have thought that Damas and Karina went so far back...  
BWA: Yeah, another little plot twist for you. There had to be something there to convince Damas that these kids meant no harm towards the city, and Karina was there so I was like, hey, why not?  
Emmett: It's a good thing we packed all that water, though.  
BWA: Ha. Yeah, I think everyone's in the other room sleeping away their sand burns and all that, a bit of heat stroke.  
Emmett: Bummer.  
BWA: Yep. Anyway, we had best be off; as always, leave a review! I start school holidays tomorrow but I'm flying interstate to see my brother and his fiancee; so, I'll be back in about twelve days, so I'll try to update as soon as I get home. I promise! Won't be long until you find out what other crazy ideas these kids have. Until then, take care!  
Emmett: -Throws water bottles-  
BWA: Heads up!**

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	7. Bulletproof

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BWA: Hey! We're finally back!  
Jak: -Waves-  
Emmett: We've been on holiday!  
BWA: Yep, I got back from my holiday just the other day. Sorry for making you wait so long for this, though. But nevertheless, it's up now!  
Sky: Woo hoo!  
BWA: Well, they're in Spargus now, but what do you think they'll get up to?  
Emmett: -Shrugs-  
BWA: -Laughs- Read on and find out!  
Emmett: Woo!

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_Chapter Six  
Bulletproof_

Jak spent a lot of his time with Keira and her father, listening to the endless stories of Keira's childhood. Samos warmed to Jak almost instantly, seeing the love and affection between the two. Samos knew that his daughter had found her other half.

Sky got straight into the melee training. Sig was her coach, and to begin with, it was safe to say that she sucked. She spent every waking minute going over different steps and points of attack. She started with a simple sword, but soon changed to a broadsword, which seemed to be what she worked with best. Sig was more than impressed with her progress. In what would have taken a normal elf months to learn, Sky picked up her skills in less than a week. Kellan watched her as she practiced in the Arena. Sometimes Jak trained with her.

Tess and Daxter hardly did anything. They really only came with the others to make sure that they didn't do anything stupid. Tess enjoyed wandering through the castle and chatting with all the workers there. Daxter spent most of his time sleeping.

Torn was hardly ever in sight. Always somewhere or other talking to Ashelin about the updates on Haven's status and whether there had been any more attacks. Daxter joked about how he was working "Behind the Scenes."

Karina watched on in comfortable silence most of the time. Some days, she'd be relaxed, wandering around, running her fingers over things as if remembering the texture. Other days she'd have her nose in a book or would be conversing rather intently with Damas about the Dark Heart and places that she could find forgotten legends.

Damas watched on from a respectable distance – he was impressed with the skills the two Eco Demons possessed and would be proud to have two such fighters in his ranks. He'd taken a particular shine to Jak, who reminded him a lot of himself as a young man. Reckless, happy and totally in love.

When he heard Keira and Kellan talking about a new gun model they were working on with Sky, Damas had a stroke of genius, so to speak.

Early morning rolled around on the beginning of their second week in Spargus. Now used to the heat, the young elves all woke and dressed, eager to have something to eat and continue on with their day. When they made it to the dining room for breakfast, they were surprised to find that King Damas wasn't there.

"He never misses breakfast," Keira muttered, picking at a piece of fruit.

"Maybe he had some kingly duties to attend to," Karina joked, rolling her eyes.

A low laugh sounded from behind them, causing every head at the table to turn in the direction of the happy sound. Damas stood by the door wearing dirty, old clothes and smiling so wide one would think that his cheeks would be rather sore. "Come on, kids." He chimed. "I've got a surprise for you."

"Anyone else scared?" Kellan asked, grinning when every hand at the table shot up into the air.

* * *

Damas led the group of teenagers down to the Garage – they had only been in there once, when they first arrived at the City of Sand. In doing so, they had missed a rather important detail that had been scattered all across the large expanse of the warehouse.

"Here in Spargus, we don't have your typical, everyday zoomer's." Damas explained, standing at the doors, listening to them whir and whine. "We have our own mode of transportation. One of which I think will appeal to all of you on some level."

When the large doors opened, the King led them through, gesturing to a peculiar vehicle resting not too far away from them.

The three mechanics gasped in unison, taking small, timid steps towards the new piece of machinery.

Kellan looked up with stars in his eyes, "You actually have _wheeled _vehicles here? I thought these were supposed to be ancient! Urban legend!"

"They are ancient," Damas replied. "These are but a few we were able to restore." He explained, gesturing with a wide arc of his arm to the other cars in the garage.

"Kellan!" Sky cried in amazement. "You have to come and see this! Look at this Carburettor!"

Jak watched on with an amused expression as Keira sashayed around the peculiar vehicle, bending down to look at the wheels or to run her hands over a piece of the dashboard.

"She's quite a woman, isn't she?" Damas asked, taking his place next to the young elf.

Jak smiled warmly, "Yeah, she is."

"The two of you remind me a lot of my wife and me when we were young." He explained with a sad smile.

"What happened?" Jak asked, not wanting to intrude but in all honestly, deeply intrigued.

"She died of an unknown illness, she picked it up one day, two weeks later, she was gone."

Jak nodded solemnly, "That's just like what happened to Sky's mother. Her father passed on not two weeks after."

Damas shook his head, "No one deserves to feel such grief. To endure a loss so great is a very crippling thing. You lose the will to live your life, but, the only way you can redeem yourself is if you realize what you're living for."

"And you found it?" Jak asked quietly.

"I did, and it saved me, quite literally. I almost left my new kingdom without a ruler. I couldn't risk it."

"I'm glad things worked out."

Damas smiled down at the young elf. "That woman over there is what you need to live for, Jak. Don't ever let her go. And Sky, she's the closest friend you have, no? She'll be there when you really need her. A friend like that is hard to come by."

Jak smiled as he gave a small nod in response. "I know, she's always there. No matter what."

The King smiled before glancing up at the other teenage elves that were transfixed by the four-wheeled vehicle. "There are some old caves not too far from here, you can use these cars to get there if you'd like."

Sky peeked over the bonnet of the car from where she was kneeling, "You're serious? You're actually going to trust us when it comes to driving these things? What if we crash?"

Damas laughed, "You're all mechanical, no? You'll figure it out." He turned his head towards the large double doors. "I hate to leave you all, but I'm actually needed at the Palace. Have fun today." With a smile, he walked back into the main square of the city.

Kellan watched him leave with both his eyebrows raised, "His not very kingly around us, is he?"

Keira shook her head, "More… fatherly." She muttered. "I wonder if he ever had kids."

Sky ran a hand through her hair, "If he did, then they'd be a prince or princess right now. Maybe he didn't…" She trailed off, her thoughts blurring together as she took in the paint job of the car. She'd have to update it if she found the time.

"Hey, guys!" Karina greeted cheerfully, wandering into the Garage. "Oh, I see he's finally gotten around to showing you the dirt cars."

Keira stared at her with wide eyes, "You knew about these? And you didn't _tell us?_"

Karina rolled her eyes in response, "Of course not. Anyway, that's not why I came here…" She motioned for them to come to her as she pulled a small device from her pocket. She pointed to the screen with a long finger. "I've been doing some research and I managed to find out about an old cave not too far from here, I'm guessing Damas may have told you about it… Anyway, I was thinking that maybe we could drive out there and check it out, see if we can find anything."

Jak raised an eyebrow, "Right now?" He asked.

Karina nodded, "No, next month. Of course, now. Why waste time?"

"But we don't even know how to drive these things!" Sky whined.

The slender, recently turned she-elf rolled her deep purple eyes, "It's easy, come on. I'll show you."

A quick, five minute driving lesson later they were ready to go. As much as Kellan wanted to go with Sky to make sure that she would be okay, he knew that this was her job and that she had to take risks. Keira stayed behind as well, holding his hand. They took a car known as the Sand Shark. Jak drove while Sky sat in the passenger's seat, gun at the ready and Karina balanced herself on the massive spoiler.

Jak grinned at his girlfriend, revving the engine. Sky purred in satisfaction as the car roared and shuddered under them, eager to gallop across the sandy planes.

"So, where is this cave you speak of, Karina?" Sky asked.

Karina pulled out her little communicator once again, turning on the Navigation System and entering in some coordinates. A small, consistent beeping noise sounded over the roaring engine. "Once we're out of the gates, turn right about three hundred metres out."

"No worries!" Jak cried.

Kellan smiled and flipped the switch for the Gates, watching as they opened with a loud hiss of protest. The second that the gap was big enough, Jak slammed his foot down on the accelerator and they shot forward, out into the desert. Jak and Sky pulled their scarves up and their goggles down while Karina flicked her fingers, a deep purple bubble enveloping her face. Protecting it, a concentrated Dark Eco shield.

Karina leaned forward as Jak sped across the sand, "Keep an eye out for Marauders, they'll follow you if they think you're going anywhere worth going to. They know the Wasteland like the back of their hand. They'll kill you if you get too close to their barricade."

"You mean they'll _try_ to kill us," Jak laughed.

Karina went to laugh but it got stuck in her throat when she noticed a small, rustic looking car speeding towards them from the right. "Sky! To the right! The right!"

The she-elf turned, aimed her gun and shot at the petrol tank all in less than three seconds. The bullet hit its mark and the car exploded, a giant puff of smoke and flames polluting the otherwise clean, sand-filled air.

"Nice shot!" Karina yelled as they sped off again.

* * *

A few shouted directions and gun shots later, they were on the final stretch towards their destination.

Another beep, the loudest yet, ushered a high pitched squeal of triumph from Karina's rosy lips. "It's just up ahead! Arc around, Jak. Angle it right and we can get straight in and out of this horrid sand."

Jak nodded, jerking the steering wheel sharply to the left, giving an exhilarated cry as the car began to skid out on the sand. What none were prepared for, was the ambush waiting for them.

About seven cars waited at the entrance to the cave they were headed for; over twenty Marauders guarding the entrance. One, slightly larger Marauder aimed his gun and pulled the trigger. The gun-shot echoed off the cliff faces around them, before a loud explosion followed. The bullet pierced the petrol tank, and Sky watched as the dark ooze leaked onto the sand, leaving a trail from where the car continued on its wide turn.

"Jak!" Sky screamed. "The tank is leaking! It'll catch fire!"

As if to back up her statement, an ember from the earlier explosion floated just above their heads before dropping onto the line of petrol, igniting it in seconds. Sky threw her gun down and held her hands out in front of her face, enveloping the car in a Dark Eco shield, much like the one protecting Karina's face from the sand. She groaned as the flames caught up with the car, pushing down on the shield. The car began to wobble, straightening out. Sky's muscles bunched and then released against her will, the momentum pushing the car up on its side. The vehicle tipped and then rolled, tossing the three elves out of their seats. Jak crashed against the ground, but was up again before he could register the impact. He had his gun out and was shooting the crap out of the Marauders before they could take notice of the sudden change.

Karina landed on the balls of her feet, reigniting the Eco shield around the car, catching it just before it smashed into the cliff-face. She held it above the ground for a few moments before gently placing it down on the ground. Sky, being weakened by the rush of her flight and the quick, painful stab of her impact, rolled through the sand, coming to a stop near the entrance to the cave. She groaned, feeling the protest from her muscles as they repaired themselves from the mass bruising. She froze when the click of a gun sounded next to her head, the cool barrel jabbing against her temple.

'**Let me take care of this,' **her Dark side reasoned, feeling unwavering hatred towards the Elf she didn't know.

With a small nod, she let the Dark Eco in her body run freely through her veins; a violent shudder ran through her body as her skin paled, taking on its deathly white complexion. Her hair lightened until it almost matched her skin. Two tiny, curled horns broke through her skull, forcing a loud cry to pass her lips. Her canines elongated, turning into sharp fangs as her fingernails grew into six-inch claws. Her eyes finished the transformation, the pupils widening so greatly that they took over the colour in her eyes, widening her range of sight.

She turned her head, baring her teeth at the Marauder who thought a simple bullet to the temple would kill her. The offender gasped and started screaming something along the lines of "Demon! Demon! Retreat!" but his cries weren't loud enough to warn his comrades before he was tackled to the ground by the Eco Demon. Having been cooped up for so long, the demon decided to taunt her prey a little. Jak and Sky had made a few rumours and legends for themselves. The Haven folk called Sky a Succubus, even though she was the furthest thing. But… why not have fun with what you're given?

With a temptress smirk on her lips, Sky slithered up the Marauders bulky body, trying to keep the grimace from her pale face as she placed her hands on his chest. She heard his heartbeat stutter and she smiled impishly before she bent down to the pulse point in his neck. After relishing in a quiet grin, the demon sank her fangs into the thrumming pulse, severing the vein before pulling away, spitting the blood from her mouth. A disgusted noise ripped up the creature's throat before she got bored with her prey, taking hold of the Marauders head, a quick twist to the right ended his life.

The demon sat back on her haunches, staring at her kill – it was like a child growing bored of their favourite toy. After a while, you begin to wonder why you bother with it. The Demon's hunger for killing had been sated, but it was too busy to pay attention to that fact, enjoying the rush of Eco through Sky's veins.

When a warm hand dropped onto her shoulder, the Demon hissed in disapproval before taking notice of who stood by her. Jak looked down at her, his face twisting in understanding. He jerked his head over his shoulder, and the Demon turned to see groups of bodies crumpled together, car parts lying all over. She grinned before closing her eyes, slinking back into the depths of Sky's mind.

In a rush, the transition had been made again and Sky rocked forward, spitting out the remainder of blood from her mouth and wiping the back of her hand across her lips to get rid of anything else. Jak gave her a spare bottle of water which she took a large swig of, swirled it in her mouth and spat out onto the sand before taking a long drink.

"Thanks," She gasped, handing it back to her fighting partner.

Jak smiled, helping her up. "Did you have fun?" He asked, eyeing her kill.

Sky rolled her ocean blue eyes, "Oh yeah, it was great." She glanced up at the cave entrance. "Is this the place we're looking for?" She asked.

The blonde elf nodded, "The very one."

She sighed, running a hand through her light blue hair. A quick glance at Karina showed that this place had a significant meaning to the young woman. "What do you think we'll find in there?"

Karina turned, an awed smile on her lips. "We won't know unless we go in, now will we?"

Jak nodded and placed a hand on his comrade's shoulder, she glanced up at him and he pulled her close, hugging her affectionately. "Why the sudden panic?" He asked, noticing the faint trace of stress behind her eyes.

Sky shrugged nonchalantly, "It's just… we don't know we're going to find in there. It could be horrible, or it could be fantastic. Just the thought of the unknown in such a foreign place is a little unnerving."

The blonde elf smiled, soothingly rubbing her arm as they stepped up to the entrance of the strange little cave. Sky shivered a little and Jak held her closer as they stepped into the dark tunnel.

* * *

**BWA: Ooooh! What a spot to leave it, huh?  
Emmett: What are they gonna find?  
BWA: What do you think?  
Emmett: ...Cookies?  
BWA: -Facepalm-  
Jak: You're gonna make us wait, aren't you?  
BWA: -Grins- Not for long. Well, as usual, leave me some love and review. What do you think they're gonna find? I always love to hear your thoughts.  
Emmett: -Waves-**

* * *


	8. Falling Into Place

**

* * *

**

BWA: Hey! We're back!  
Jak: It's about time…  
BWA: Oh, shut up. You're just cranky because I left the three of you standing out in the middle of a desert for a week or two.  
Sky: I think there's more sand than hair on my head.  
BWA: Oops. I'm sorry.  
Jak: Oh, sure… You apologize to *her*.  
**BWA: Of course, she's nice to me.  
Jak: -Grumbles-  
Emmett: -Runs in- Am I late?  
BWA: Just a little.  
Emmett: Meh.  
BWA: Well, I finally have the internet on my laptop, so I'll be able to update much, much more often. Hooray!  
****Emmett: -Throws confetti-  
BWA: Mkay, well, I'm gonna let these kids go into the cave. Thanks to everyone for all the great reviews so far. I'm so happy that you're enjoying this! Oh, and just to let you know, there's a lemon in this chapter! There's one more a few chapters down the track.  
****Emmett: Now, onward!**

**Disclaimer: Jak and Daxter is the property of Naughty Dog. I know what's mine.**

* * *

_**Chapter Seven  
Falling Into Place**_

Karina glanced at the two elves over her shoulder, a small smile on her face. They looked like a pair of siblings. For two people that had been assigned to fight together, brought to each other by what they were capable of, but being able to create such a strong bond of friendship left the young woman dazed. Where she came from, no one really got along. Fighting, destruction, jealousy and greed were their common grounds. Seeing this sibling-like affection made a dull ache start in her chest. Unconsciously, she raised her fingers to press gently to the skin, as if to soothe it.

Sky gave a quiet sigh from where she stood, listening as the breathy sound echoed off the walls. They were walking in darkness, but all three could see with perfect clarity, not being entirely Elvin.

"A little eerie, isn't it?" Jak asked, elbowing Sky in the ribs.

The blue haired Freedom Fighter laughed a little, her stress melting away as she ruffled her comrade's hair. "You're really struggling to make small talk, aren't you?" She asked with a quiet giggle.

Jak rolled his eyes, "Karina? What exactly are we looking for?"

Karina turned her head again, her shoulder length hair whipping with the motion. Her deep purple eyes gleamed in the darkness. "You'll know when we get close."

"Cryptic," Sky mumbled, earning some quiet laughter from the other female in the long, dark corridor.

"So, do you think the Marauders know about this place?" Jak asked, glancing at the walls around them, made entirely from stone.

Karina shrugged, "The Marauders have always been a very primitive race. They study life with the little they know, paying too much attention to their ancient stories. They obviously knew that this cave was important; otherwise they wouldn't have come to guard it. I can't smell any trace of life this far down, so they mustn't have made it this far. They know there's something down here, though."

"Should we have a moment of silence for those who never made it down here?" Sky asked, a hint of sarcasm in her tone.

Jak laughed, "Only you could joke about their situation."

"Well… why not feel a little smug when you're part of an advanced race?"

Karina rolled her eyes, suddenly coming to a stop. Sky and Jak watched on with anxious expressions; their humour long forgotten.

"What is it?" Jak asked, leaning forward.

"Do you feel that?" She asked, tipping her head back. "Do you feel the stirrings of distress in the air? This place holds a significant meaning. We were never expected to come here… they never thought that one of their own would seek out a way to destroy them." She turned towards them; her deep eyes alight with exhilaration. "There are answers here."

Not another word was spoken as they continued on, their steps becoming faster and widely spaced. A sliver of light caught the eye of the Dark Elves, and they coiled their muscles, bracing for any attacks from defence mechanisms.

"There's nothing here, no danger." Karina whispered.

They shared a sigh of relief, now jogging towards the light that grew brighter with every step. When the strange brightness was close enough to touch, they came across a small hurdle. A large boulder blocked the end of tunnel, but was no problem for the three that came for answers. They pushed in tandem, moving the blockade away without so much as breaking a sweat.

What greeted them was not what they were expecting.

A large circular room with no roof lay before them, bright in the midday Wasteland sun. If you looked up, you would see sand rushing above you from where the roof was supposed to be. Several dark pictures dotted the walls, telling stories and old legends. Karina stepped forward, her eyes wide – she walked around the room, her fingers brushing against the rock as she went. Sky and Jak watched on in awe at the hidden cave.

"What is this place?" Sky breathed, not wanting to disturb the peace in the room.

"This place tells stories," Karina answered in a breathless whisper. "Ancient stories of my kind. Our heritage, how we came to be and how we are to be eliminated."

"What does it say?"

The black haired woman studied a particular drawing rather closely, not answering Sky's question. Time passed in a blur until she spoke, confidence washing from her in waves. "This is what we came for." She stated.

"You found the right legend?" Jak asked as the two Demons stepped forward.

Karina nodded, her eyes glazing over as she spoke. "Not a legend… instructions. It tells of how to destroy the Dark Heart."

Sky gasped, "Why would they write that down?"

She shrugged, "If they knew how they could be destroyed, it would help to build defences to prevent such a thing from happening. But, I don't think anyone's been here since they were written."

"How long ago?" Jak asked.

"Thousands, maybe millions of years ago." She answered. "Our race has been here since time began, long before your race. Dark Makers are evil Precursors. We were created to balance nature, the endless cycle, I suppose." She brushed her fingers across the drawing of a large purple sphere. "This is the Dark Heart."

"How do we destroy it?" Sky whispered.

"It says that, to destroy the Dark Heart, it must be overridden with the substance it was created by."

"Dark Eco…" Jak breathed.

"That's right," Karina praised. "It also says that, it needs to be overridden by three Dark entities, working together as one." She turned back to them with a smile, "Can you guess who those three might be?"

"Us?" Sky questioned, her brows lifting.

Karina nodded, "That's right. The only docile Dark beings on the planet with enough potential to wipe out a race of Dark Makers. Pretty cool if you ask me."

"And… and this doesn't bother you?" Jak asked, bewildered.

Karina shrugged, "It's time I made my own decisions. Sure, it's strange to read about how to kill my own kind, but it's for the good of the universe. Besides, this place will always be here, I might come back when it's all over. Add some stories and memories of my own."

The two Eco Demons watched in silence as their friend scanned the different drawings and markings. Learning of her heritage before she had to destroy the only thing she had ever known.

* * *

The Sand Shark snarled violently as it skidded to a stop in the Spargus Garage. Sky got out on shaky legs, grinning like a lunatic. Jak launched himself onto the sturdy flooring, bouncing slightly on his feet as Karina slinked out of the vehicle, seeming perfectly at ease.

"The bouncing is definitely something that takes some getting used to," Sky laughed, pressing her palms flat against her thighs, trying to ease the shaking to no avail. She rolled her eyes, straightening up again.

Karina ran a hand through her windblown hair, "I'm going to go and look further into what we've found, see if something slipped through the cracks." She said, walking towards the large doors.

"Let us know if you find anything, okay?" Sky called as she walked into the main street, hearing a quiet shout of confirmation before she turned back to her comrade. "I'm going to stay here and tinker with this baby for a while. You go and have fun," She teased with a wink.

Jak laughed and walked past her, ruffling her hair as he went, "Enjoy your free time. Who knows how much of it we have left." He called as the doors closed behind him.

Since he came to Spargus, he had become quite tanned; his skin was now a gentle golden brown instead of the usual pale pink from the Haven… lack of sun. It was always hidden behind layers of pollution. Everyone there looked like a zombie.

Jak walked with a spring in his step all the way to the Palace. He bounded up the stairs, through the corridors and past the Throne Room on his way to find Keira. He found her lying on her stomach on the bed, a small notebook in her hands. She had a pen to her lips as she thought. Jak's gaze zeroed in on the book that he had seen many times. It's what Keira used when she drew up rough drafts for new machinery.

"Jak?" Keira asked, sitting up and putting her notebook away. "I wasn't expecting you back so soon, how did it go?"

He smiled, launching himself on the bed, grinning as it bounced. "We found what we needed, we know how to destroy the Dark Heart."

"That's great," Keira sighed as Jak ran his fingers through her hair. "How did Karina take it?"

"She did well, wasn't stressed at all. A little disappointed, maybe… but she didn't seem sad."

The she-elf nodded, "I'm glad she's taking it well." She raised an eyebrow at her lover. "You had a little too much fun with that car, didn't you?"

He laughed, throwing his head back in the process, not noticing the way Keira studied the tendons that stood out against the skin. "It drives like you wouldn't believe! I can still feel the vibrations from the engine."

Keira smiled, winding her arms around his neck. "I've missed you," she sighed.

Jak immediately stopped chortling, his expression softening. "I know, sweetheart. I've missed you, too; I'm sorry that we haven't been able to spend much time together. This is a really big thing we're in the middle of, and I've been keeping up with training and all with Sig and –"

Keira cut him off, pressing her finger to his lips. "Don't worry, I don't need excuses. You're here now, that's all I need."

Jak gave a small smile, easing her down onto the bed. "I need more than just your presence, Keira." He breathed against her neck. "I need _you._"

"You have me," She whispered.

"Now?"

"Now."

Needing no further encouragement, Jak reached forward and pulled Keira up into a sitting position, pulling her shirt over her head as she did the same to him. The rest of their clothing was gone in an instant before they toppled back onto the mattress, wrapped up in each other.

Jak smiled down at her, parting her legs and settling between them. He kissed her as softly as he could, easing into her at the same time. Keira gasped brokenly into his mouth, arching her hips and taking him in the rest of the way. He groaned against her skin as they began to rock together.

Keira clawed at his back as they moved, her legs squeezing against his hips. She threw her head back and screeched in ecstasy when he shifted her hips for a better angle, plunging in deeper than she thought possible.

Jak watched her as they rocked, dancing to their own music. Keira's rosy lips were parted, letting her pull in gasping breaths that pushed her chest against his with every heave. Her eyes were closed, her lashes fluttering against her cheek bones every time he thrust forward. Her back arched whenever he hit that one spot within her, and he smiled whenever she cried out his name in pleasure.

They continue on until the sun began to set, just as it disappeared beyond the horizon, they met their release. Keira cried out, the loudest yet, gripping Jak's shoulders as her world exploded in a burning hot light. Jak stiffened for half a second, shuddering madly as he continued with his deep strokes, slowing down a great deal, but keeping at a pace that allowed their orgasms to spur on.

When it all became too much, in which he brought Keira to another release, his arms gave out and he fell on top of the beautiful she-elf that lay beneath him. She sighed, running her fingers through his damp hair as he kissed every inch of skin he could reach. He pulled out of her, smiling at her whine of protest before moving to lie on his side, pulling her close and wrapping his arms around her. She pushed him onto his back and laid her head against his chest, kissing the skin there.

As they began to drift into unconsciousness, Jak whispered two words into the silent room, following the she-elf into a peaceful slumber.

"You're perfect."

* * *

**BWA: Aww.  
Emmett: -Wipes tears-  
BWA: -Laughs- So, what did you think? Worth waiting for?  
****Jak: I think so…  
BWA: Well, now they know how to wipe out the Dark Makers! Now we just have to wait and see how they decide to go about killing them all.  
Sky: -Evil laugh-  
*Silence*  
Emmett: That was creepy.  
BWA: Yeah, Sky… Don't do that again, I don't want to have nightmares.  
Sky: -Blushes-  
BWA: Mkay, as usual, leave me a review and tell me what you think. I'll update again soon!  
Emmett: Hooray!  
****Jak: -Mumbles- It's about time I got some…  
Sky: -Punches Jak's arm-  
Jak: Ow! What was that for?  
Sky: No reason. –Grins-  
Everyone: -Laughs-**

* * *


	9. Collapse

**BWA: Jak remembered to put his clothes back on after the last chapter, right?  
Sky: -Whines- Ewww.  
BWA: What?  
Sky: You just made me think about Jak nude.  
Emmett: You loved it.  
Sky: -Glares at Emmett- Did you not hear me say ew?  
Jak: -Laughs from the other room- I did.  
BWA: -Looks at everyone reading this AN- Admit it, you've thought about Jak nude at least once.  
Keira: -Giggles- I know I have!  
Sky: Excuse me while I go and bang my head on the wall.  
Kellan: -Grins- She thinks about me nude.  
BWA: How did we get into this conversation?  
Emmett: -Shrugs-**

* * *

_**Chapter Eight  
**__**Collapse**_

A week later, at the crack of dawn; Jak and Sky, along with Karina, walked to the Throne Room with their heads bowed forward. They had all grown to love Spargus; there was a great sense of freedom here, it would be sad to leave.

The guard at the large doors nodded in confirmation, pushing the doors open, allowing them to pass. Damas sat at his throne, reading over something; he looked up when he heard the creak of the doors.

"Oh," He sighed, happy to see his friends. "What can I do for you three?" He asked.

Jak sighed, dipping his head a little. Damas had told them not to bow, it made him feel old. So they merely gave a small dip of their heads. "We have to leave." He said simply.

The King's face fell, his eyes filling with sadness. "Is something wrong?"

Karina stepped forward, shaking her head. "No. We came to find certain answers, which have been discovered. We have to get back to Haven so that we can stop the attacks that are surely on the way."

Damas nodded solemnly, looking away. "Spargus citizens always heading back to Haven to help…" He muttered under his breath.

Sky's head snapped up. "What was that?"

Damas looked back at the young elves, rising from his Throne, "You have been here for almost a month. You're honorary Spargain citizens now. All of you."

Karina raised an eyebrow, "When did that law come in?"

The King shrugged, "No less than six months ago."

Sky smiled, "Does that mean we should call you "Majesty" and all from now on?"

Damas laughed, "Of course not. But, if you really must go back to Haven, at least leave tomorrow morning. Get one more day of rest, then you may leave."

The three nodded in unison.

They could use a day to relax.

* * *

Torn was once again, on his communicator for most of the day. He organised transport for the earliest time possible, wanting to get back to the city to end the oncoming war. Karina spent a great deal of time in the Throne Room with Damas, sharing old stories and fussing over trivial things. Sky spent her time brushing up on her fighting skills with Sig. The Wastelander would tease her, saying she was close to being an expert swordswoman but was just out of reach of the title.

Kellan and Keira spent their day in the Garage, writing down the parts in which the four-wheeled vehicles were built with. They hoped to find the instruments so that they could build their own car when they got back to Haven. They really were a couple of Grease Monkeys.

Jak and Daxter took the Sand Shark for another spin out in the desert, shouting into the large expanse of nothingness for no reason. Tess stayed behind to help pack.

When the day came to a close, the group all headed off to their respective rooms for their last night in Spargus. Kellan walked down a lonely hall, his arm around Sky's waist as she pursed her lips in thought. Kellan noticed her expression and came to a stop, turning her to face him.

"Sky, what's wrong?" He asked as she worried her bottom lip between her teeth.

Truth be told, the young she-elf didn't have a clue as to what had gotten her so worked up. "Oh… nothing, I'm fine." She glanced up at the ceiling, feeling the urge to go outside. "I'm going to go up to the roof, I'll be back soon."

Kellan nodded, watching her expression, "Be careful up there." He warned with a smile. He knew fully well that if Sky were to fall from the building, she would land smoothly on her feet down on the sand.

Sky smiled a little in response, stretching up on her toes to press a loving kiss to his lips. Automatically, Kellan's arms wrapped around her waist, holding her close as they spoke words of love and affection without a sound leaving their lips.

"I'll be back soon," She repeated in a breathless whisper when they broke apart.

"I'll be waiting," Kellan answered, his eyes gleaming.

Sky smiled and turned to head towards the nearest staircase. Kellan watched her with cautious eyes.

* * *

The blue eyed she-elf had no idea why she was heading up to the Palace rooftop, but something told her it would pay off.

She remembered seeing Karina wander off after dinner. She looked distracted; she spent the meal with a smile on her face, watching each couple as they laughed and shared timid touches. What was so bad about that? Was she lonely?

With a sigh, she continued on, clearing the last few steps in a graceful bound. She exhaled quietly, tipping her head back as the humid Spargain air washed over her face, the serenity that surrounded her calmed her a great deal. She turned to her left, a startled gasp leaving her lips when she saw Karina sitting on the edge of the roof, her legs dangling over the edge. She had her left arm up towards the moon, the hand not one of an elf. It was dark in colour and had long, sharp claws that curled as she clenched her fist.

"Guess you found me, huh?" Karina asked in a low voice, not turning to see the she-elf that had joined her on the roof.

"Guess I did," Sky whispered, walking over to her friend, sitting down next to her, watching as her legs dangled off the side of the roof.

Time passed in a comfortable silence after that, the two watching the large moon in the sky – seeing another not too far behind. Sky braced herself on her arms, leaning back to admire the clear night. She looked to her left when Karina started talking to herself.

"In all my years, I've never seen such a beautiful moon."

Sky smiled a little, "You don't have a good view from where you come from?"

Karina shook her head, "We do… I just…" She paused as she thought of a way to actually make sense. "As Dark Makers, we're trained to avoid the brighter side of things. Our goals are death and destruction, nothing else." She flipped some of her hair over her shoulder, watching as her left hand morphed back into an Elvin limb. "It's a very foreign, scary thing to do, choose to fight against your family. But, I know where I belong. Never before have I seen such beauty, such perfection as I have since I joined your race."

Sky cocked her head to the side, noticing a tiny hint of sadness when Karina spoke of fighting against her family. A question bubbled up to her lips, and she spoke before she could think of stopping it. "Karina… what are you fighting for?"

The slender woman fell into silence as she contemplated her answer. A few moments later, a harsh bark of a laugh passed her lips. "That's a loaded question," She teased. "I'm fighting for freedom, Sky. It's all I've ever wanted. I'm sick of being restricted. I'm tired of keeping my emotions bottled up and I'm tired of following orders. I want to live… I don't want to hurt anymore."

Sky listened in silence; Karina had said some powerful things to her before, but nothing like this. She never knew what life was like before Karina joined the Elvin race; but to hear that you were hell bent on destruction and carnage and rules… It was a heavy burden to bear. Her heart broke for her friend.

"I have a brother, you know…" Karina muttered.

The she-elf's eyes widened, "Really?" She asked in astonishment. "How come you never talk about him?"

She shrugged, "I have my reasons."

"What's his name?"

Karina sighed, "His name is Zane." She took a deep breath before continuing. "My father always favoured him. He was the better fighter, the better strategic thinker, the better child. I was the pacifist, the disappointment. Most of the others looked down on me for being tired of killing. It's not often a Dark Maker turns on their own kind." She smiled a dark smile. "Anyway… My father eventually forced me to join the council. I didn't fight, but I helped to plan attacks, I heard about what was going on, and I wouldn't stand for it a moment longer. I got in a heated argument about it with my father one day… I'll never forget what he said to me. He said that if I failed to see reason, if I refused to join them, then he no longer had a daughter." She blinked, heaving a quiet sigh. "It stung, but I was able to move on after it. It helped me realize what I wanted. I knew I didn't belong with them; I also knew that I wasn't good enough for my father." She turned to stare at Sky. "I don't want to conform, I want to be free."

Sky smiled warmly, draping her arm over Karina's shoulders. "You will be – I promise you that. And you're never alone, you always have us."

"Damas didn't really make that law, you know – about people becoming citizens after staying a month."

"He didn't?"

Karina shook her head. "He feels strongly for all of you, normally he makes people complete three Arena tests before they gain full citizenship."

"Wow."

The two she-elves shared a smile before Sky released a monstrous yawn. Karina chuckled to herself, "Go and get some rest, Sky. We have a big day ahead of us."

The blue-haired woman smiled, getting up from the roof and wandering back to the stairs. "Sleep well, Karina." She sighed before disappearing from sight.

Karina took a deep breath before returning her gaze to the large moon.

Sky wandered lazily back to her room, changing into more suitable bedtime clothing before crawling under the blankets, curling against Kellan's side. The elf had long since fallen asleep and Sky didn't have the heart to wake him up. After placing a gentle kiss on the skin of his shoulder – which made him grunt slightly – she fell asleep, Karina's words echoing in her mind.

_I don't want to conform, I want to be free._

* * *

The following morning, as the sun rose over the rock cliffs, a Haven City Carrier was preparing for takeoff.

Sky and Kellan, Daxter and Tess, Torn, Keira and Jak were all packing their things into the back of the large machine. Damas and Sig watched on with heavy expressions. Torn nodded politely at the two men before climbing into the front of the Carrier, Tess and Daxter hopping into the back compartment, Keira and Kellan following after them. Keira had bid her father goodbye the night before, and now wore a serene smile on her precious face.

"Jak," Damas called as the Carrier jumped to life, "Sky."

The two Dark Elves wandered over to their King, now strapped up in their battle armour, they looked like true Warriors. "I want you two to be safe, promise me that. Whatever happens, keep yourselves alive."

The two nodded in silence, bowing their heads. Damas put his hand on Sky's shoulder as Jak said his goodbye's to Sig.

"Keep him safe, young one. He'll need you when the time comes." He explained. "You're a brave fighter with a big heart and a hard head; you'll get through whatever life decides to throw at you."

Sky nodded with a smile, "I know. Thank you, Damas." She turned to Sig and wrapped her arms around him, saying a final goodbye before joining the others in the back of the Carrier.

Jak turned to his King, watching as his violet eyes softened. He gently thumped his hand against the Freedom Fighters shoulder plate. "Be strong, young Jak. Times will be tough, but you have your friends and the entire Spargain community behind you." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small bronze amulet. "This is the Seal of Mar – surely you've seen it before. I want you to take it so that you will always remember us and our promise to you."

Jak stared at the small amulet that had just been placed in his palm, "I… I don't know what to say… Thank you." He looked up at the man he had gained a great deal of respect for. "I don't have anything to give you, though."

Damas smiled, "You give us hope, Jak. That is gift enough. Now go, your fate is waiting for you."

The young warrior smiled brightly, pushing the amulet into his pocket before jogging over to the Carrier. It took off with a quiet whir, and Damas stood, watching as it disappeared over the horizon. Never had he felt such heartbreak before.

"Do you think he'll remember?" Sig asked quietly.

Damas gave one last glance at the rising sun, seeing the tiny little speck as the Carrier sped back to Haven City, the city that his only heir had to save. "He has to…"

* * *

As the Carrier came closer to its destination, the conversation turned towards their upcoming mission.

"So, how do we get onto the ship?" Jak asked as Keira glanced up at him.

Karina smiled, "The Dark Heart calls to every single one of us. Don't worry; I know how to get there. We won't have any trouble." She laughed, tapping her temple.

"We'll have to leave as soon as possible." Sky interjected.

Jak nodded, "We'll leave in two days, we need to get the guns and any other things we need organised."

"Yeah," Sky agreed. "We still need to put some finishing touches on that new mo-"

Sky never got to finish her sentence, for a loud explosion rocked the ship. It swung out before regaining its flight pattern. Another loud explosion rocked it a second time. Jak held Keira closer as Sky got up and started pounding on the divider.

"What the hell is going on out there?" She cried.

Torn's voice echoed through the intercom, panicked and rough. "Half the city is destroyed! There's Dark Makers everywhere! We're under attack!"

Karina's eyes widened as she watched each Elf's reaction. Jak snarled violently and held Keira close to his chest. Tess whimpered and curled against Daxter's shoulder who looked down at her with wide eyes. Kellan shot up off his seat to arch himself over Sky's body which had fallen to the floor; she rested on her knees, looking up at her friends with pained eyes.

"We're out of time."

* * *

**Emmett: Dun dun duuuuuuuuuuuun.  
****BWA: -Laughs- That was dramatic.  
****Emmett: I wanted to build up to it.  
****Sky: So, what happens next?  
****BWA: Well, they just got back to Haven only to see it in ruins. What would any normal person do?  
****Emmett: Run in the opposite direction?  
****BWA: Eh. It's possible.  
Sky: You're going to make us wait, aren't you?  
****BWA: Yeah, I am. But, there's a pretty big fight scene coming up in a chapter or two.  
****Jak: Hooray!  
****BWA: Alrighty, enough of our rambling. Sorry if we're not making sense today. They've all been a little crazy today.  
Emmett: I wasn't the one that bought Jak ice cream.  
****BWA: Sure you weren't.  
Emmett: -Laughs-  
****BWA: You know the drill. Leave a review and I'll update as soon as I can. I'm on holidays for the next two months, so I should be able to get the next chapter up within the next few days.  
****Emmett: Hooray!  
****BWA: -Smiles-**


	10. Are You Ready?

**BWA: Hooray! We're back!  
Emmett: That didn't take long at all..  
BWA: Well, I did say I'd be able to update within a few days, and I did! I'm so proud!  
Jak: We're not too far away from the Epilogue, are we?  
BWA: -Sighs- No, we're not. We've got one more chapter after this and then we'll be at the Epilogue. It's kinda sad..  
Sky: But we're not there, yet! No sadness!  
BWA: You're right. So, this is where we start to reach the climax of the story. The Dark Makers have to be taken out or all shall perish! -Evil laugh-  
Jak: Seriously.. She creeps me out sometimes.  
Emmett: -Shrugs- That's why we love her.  
BWA: -Grins- Oh! I thought I'd warn you.. there's another lemon in this chapter. It's a Sky and Kellan one this time around. Hey, if Jak and Keira got to go at it, it's only fair that these two get some as well.  
Jak: Sky got it before I did in the prequel. -Grumbles-  
BWA: Which is why you were first this time around.  
Sky: Duh.  
BWA: Alrighty, that's about it from us. I hope you like this chapter!  
Emmett: Onward!**

**Disclaimer: Nope. Still don't own it. Naughty Dog does. -Jealous-**

_

* * *

_

_**Chapter Nine  
Are You Ready?**_

It turns out that the large explosions that rocked the ship managed to take out the main turbo jet, so the flight back to HQ was bumpy and rough. The lot were lucky to make it back alive.

As soon as the Carrier hit the ground, everyone was out, racing from the landing pad to the main room where Cal was flitting from screen to screen, talking intently into his ear piece. He looked up with wide eyes as Torn, followed by Kellan, Keira, Karina, Jak and Sky walked in. Tess and Daxter had been taken to a holding room to stay safe.

"Cal, what the hell is going on?" Torn shouted, pounding his fists on the table as Sky reached into a steel box and pulled out the unfinished gun mod.

"It came out of nowhere! One minute, things were fine; the next, the Eco readings were off the charts and the city was being flooded with Dark Makers. South Town was gone in minutes, reduced to rubble.

"Daxter's not going to be happy," Sky hissed, silently welding things to the gun mod from a nearby table, Kellan and Keira by her sides.

Karina ran a hand through her hair, her eyes calculating the options she had left. "How did they get into the city?"

"Apparently they came in from Haven Forest," Cal explained.

She hissed, "I _knew _it." She looked up, explaining. "That's our vantage point. There's old magic there that we're able to link to. It drains us of energy but it gets us to where we need to be. We can travel backwards and forwards completely undetected."

Jak looked up from the screen he was staring at, "That's right. I remember, back when we had to save Haley… there was a Dark Maker there… it disappeared right before our eyes."

Karina nodded, "He was linked with us." She moved to the screen Jak was at and started typing furiously, bringing up an Eco Scanner. "We can't waste time – we have to leave tonight. As soon as possible. This has to end tonight."

"And it will end tonight," Jak snarled.

Sky froze mid-movement, a lone shudder rolling up her spine. Kellan caught the movement and looked up at her, his eyes widening at the panicked expression on her face. He caught her hand and forced her to meet his gaze. "Come with me," He murmured, tugging her down the hall to her room.

The minute the door closed behind them, Kellan turned and pushed Sky against the wall. She gasped, staring into his eyes as he raised a hand to cup her neck. He leaned forward, his lips brushing hers as he spoke, his free hand trailing down to the hem of her shirt. "Stop panicking." He whispered. "This is your job, you can't back out."

Sky whimpered brokenly, raising her arms above her head as Kellan ripped the shirt from her body, his own shirt already thrown behind him. Her head lulled backwards as Kellan's lips latched onto her skin, sucking violently.

"I'm scared," She breathed. "We've never done anything like this… The Metal Heads were pretty severe, but this… This is overwhelming. What if we fail?"

Kellan shook his head, picking her up in his arms and stumbling over to the bed. He set her down on the edge and kneeled between her legs, reaching up and slowly pulling the shorts and the clothing underneath down her lengthy legs.

Sky gasped quietly, feeling Kellan's arms wrap tightly around her as he picked her up, turning her away from him before leading her to the side of the bed. He sat down and slowly eased her onto his lap – his arousal pressed right against her. She whimpered and rocked her hips, but Kellan stilled her movements, whispering passionately into her ear.

"You will not panic." He ordered. "You will not be scared – you're strong. You can do this."

With that, he grabbed her hips, guiding her movements as she lowered herself down, sliding onto him. The two groaned in satisfaction and began to rock together. Sky's head fell back onto Kellan's shoulder, her breath coming in heaving pants.

"You'll be brave – you'll do what you have to do and then get out."

A loud explosion from outside lit up their room in a flash of light. Sky flinched away from it but rocked her hips harder, taking him further inside. He dropped his head forward, resting it on her shoulder, just as she was doing to him. He bucked upwards, meeting her halfway and causing a high pitched scream to rip up her throat.

"Oh god…" She whispered. "Kellan… I'm almost… I'm …"

He smiled a little, tilting his head to press his lips to her neck, "Let go, Sky… Let go."

Needing no further encouragement, the limber she-elf cried out in ecstasy, tossing her head back as her muscles clenched and released again and again, wave after wave of pleasure rolled over her, spurring Kellan's movements on as he jack-knifed into her. He continued on as she reached her peak for a second time and then a third not too long after. By the time her fifth rolled around, he cried out against her skin, unable to hold on any longer. Sky sobbed in pleasure above him as he filled her, tears streaming down her cheeks from the overwhelming feelings that washed over her.

Sky collapsed onto his chest, panting heavily and sweating profusely, her long hair sticking to her tanned skin.

"Promise me…" Kellan gasped into her long ear. "Promise me that you won't be scared."

She nodded weakly, "I promise."

* * *

The day passed faster than the eye could catch – explosions rocked the city, buildings fell, screams echoed from the barricades – and the two Eco Demons were doing everything they could to get out and end this war once and for all.

By the time the twin suns began to set; they were ready.

Keira and Kellan followed Karina, Jak, Sky and Torn to the launch pad. Keira had tears streaming down her face when they turned back to say goodbye. Jak flinched at the heartbroken expression on his lovers face before he wrapped his arms around her, crushing her to his chest as she sobbed into his neck.

"Be safe," She whispered. "Please, please be safe."

Jak didn't speak; he simply buried his face in her hair.

Kellan reached out and cupped Sky's cheek in his hand; she leaned into his touch with a soft smile. She had made a promise – she wasn't going to be scared.

"I'll see you when you get back," He breathed.

Her smile grew, "You better believe it." They shared a smile before their lips met in a gentle kiss.

Karina watched them all with a determined smile – when Jak and Keira broke apart, the blue haired mechanic stepped forward and wrapped her arms around their newest comrade.

"Keep them safe," She whispered. "All of you mean everything to us."

Karina was taken aback by that statement – she didn't think she was that important to the group of elves. Turns out she was. That brought tears to her eyes and she hugged the she-elf back fiercely.

"I won't let anything happen to them," she promised.

When they broke apart, Karina locked her gaze with Kellan who grinned back at her. "Kick some ass for us, okay?" He asked.

Karina just laughed, walking over and mussing his hair as he pulled her in for another hug.

Torn tapped on the side of the smaller Freedom Carrier, "Come on, kids. We need to go."

Without a backward glance, the three Dark creatures all stepped into the Carrier. Torn patted their shoulders as they passed him. He hopped into the passenger's seat on the other side of the divider before the Carrier took off.

Inside, the three were already in deep conversation.

Karina leaned forward as she spoke. "Okay… So, we're going to Haven Forest. There's a small shrine we made in the middle, so it shouldn't be too hard to find. It's cloaked, so I'll have to turn off that mechanism. But, to get to the ship, we'll have to link."

Sky raised an eyebrow, "How do we do that?"

"I'll tell you when we get there, it's very simple."

Jak ran a hand through his hair, "Once the Dark Heart is destroyed, how long will we have to get out?"

"Ten seconds," She replied. "But all we have to do is link and we'll be out in less than three."

"Will there be any Dark Makers in Haven Forest?"

Karina shook her head, "There shouldn't be… But, it'd do well to be very careful."

When the Carrier came to rest on the City floor, the back door lifted; revealing the streams of rain that fell from the heavens. Sky hopped out the back, pulled her gun from its case and held it at the ready, her armour reflecting off the bolts of lightening that lit up the city. Karina and Jak waited as she scanned the forest before turning back to them with a lazy smile.

"It's clear; you're safe to come out."

They followed Sky out into the sheeting rain, watching for any signs of movement. When they found none, their gazes moved to Karina who stood there with her head tipped back, eyes closed before she started walking forward.

Torn poked his head out the window as they passed, "We're going to head back to HQ to avoid an ambush. We'll keep you guys wired; let us know if you need anything."

"Thanks, Torn." Jak muttered, dipping his head before the Carrier lifted off into the air.

Fighting against the rain, the three continued walking until they came to the large, circular beginning of the lake in the middle of Haven Forest. Karina, for some reason that went unknown by Jak and Sky, continued walking, wading out into waist deep water before finally coming to a stop. She dipped her hands under the water and when she brought them up, they were pressed together, cupping something that none could see. She didn't move from where she stood, but instead, she called the others in.

Jak and Sky shared a glance before they waded out into the water, thankfully, their guns and newly acquired swords were resistant to the water, some strange cloak Cal put on them during their rush. When they stood around Karina, the three making a small circle, the object in her hands rushed to life, breaking free of the invisibility shield. It was a small, deep violet sphere.

"That looks like…" Sky trailed off, transfixed by the peculiar object.

"The Dark Heart?" Karina suggested. "Yes, it's a smaller version, it has enough Dark Eco to allow us the freedom of linking without having to search for the nearest source. It's always been here, one just has to know where to find it." She explained with a smile. "Now, I want you to take my hands, close your eyes and concentrate."

Following their orders, Jak and Sky grasped each others hands before watching Karina place the small device on the water; it touched the clear liquid for a small moment before rising a little, hovering just above the surface. The slender, indigo eyed she-elf reached out and took the hands that were outstretched towards her.

"Relax," She breathed. "Concentrate on the sound of the water, but pay attention to my voice…" The sound of her lulling voice softened and before Jak and Sky were able to prepare; she finished her sentence through her thoughts. _"Let it all drift away…"_

Sky stiffened, as did Jak as they both tried to grasp what was happening.

"_Relax," _Karina repeated soothingly through her thoughts. _"This is how we link. If you can hear the others thoughts, it makes the bond stronger."_

'**This is insanely weird.' **Sky's Dark side mused.

'**If not a little uncomfortable,' **Jak's agreed.

"_Be calm, Dark Ones." _Karina hushed. _"Jak, Sky… I need you to search for the Dark Sphere in front of you, let the Eco flow through you, and then attach yourselves to my entity. We can do this."_

A few short seconds later, the forest exploded with a burning light that came right from the middle of the lake. A violent tug pulled at the three Eco creatures. Karina laughed in exhilaration, used to the feeling.

No less than a millisecond later – they were gone.

* * *

**BWA: Woo!  
Jak: -Raises eyebrow-  
BWA: Sorry..  
Sky: We're on our way to the Dark Maker's Ship! Ahhh! -Runs in circles-  
Emmett: -Stares- She's making me dizzy.  
Jak: -Sways- I'm gonna throw up if she doesn't stop.  
BWA: -Giggles- Keep running, Sky!  
Emmett: -Whines-  
BWA: Okay... maybe you should stop, Sky. I'm starting to feel a little woozy.  
Sky: -Stumbles- A little? The world is still spinning..  
BWA: -Laughs- Anyway, you guys know the drill. Leave a review! I seriously love hearing your thoughts. I haven't gotten any reviews lately, which is perfectly fine. But, nonetheless, I would like to know what you guys think so far.  
Emmett: -Burps-**


	11. Destroyer

**BWA: Emmett.. what are you doing? -Looks over her shoulder-  
Emmett: Face painting.  
BWA: -Cringes- Whose face are you painting?  
Emmett: Jak's.  
BWA: Oh dear.. Hey, Sky?  
Sky: Hmm?  
BWA: Can you see what Emmett's doing?  
Sky: Sure. -Looks over Emmett's shoulder and starts laughing-  
BWA: What is it? I'm too scared to look..  
Sky: -Giggles- Emmett.. he just.. and Jak.. sleeping.. he.. -Squeaks-  
BWA: What? Tell me, woman!  
Sky: -Takes a deep breath- He..  
Jak: -Groans and sits up- What'd I miss?  
BWA: -Jaw drops- He was sleeping?  
Jak: Emmett.. why are you holding a paint brush?  
Emmett: -Grins and holds up a mirror-  
Jak: -Stares at his reflection- Why is my face covered in love hearts?  
BWA: -Stares and starts giggling-**

_**

* * *

  
Chapter Ten  
Destroyer **_

The impact wasn't something Jak and Sky were prepared for.

While Karina landed gracefully on the balls of her feet, Jak and Sky slammed against a cold, hard surface.

"Well… that was painful," Jak muttered as he got up off the ground and pulled his gun out.

Sky laughed weakly, aiming her gun in front of her. "Where do we go?" She asked, feeling the surge of adrenaline in her veins.

Whether the two Eco Demons were scared beforehand, the minute they had their guns in hand, they were the Warriors they were born to become. They showed no fear or anxiety. Only determination, strength and a finger itching to pull the trigger on their guns.

Karina flicked her fingers, materialising a broadsword made out of Dark Eco from absolutely nowhere at all. She glanced at Sky, the two sharing a grin at the choice of weaponry. "The Dark Heart is right in the middle of the ship, so I hope you two have plenty of ammo."

Jak grinned and cocked his gun, "Dark, dirty, dangerous; I'm beginning to like this war."

Sky winked, "Let's give 'em hell."

The minute they stepped forward, a loud siren filled the ship and Karina swore, rather violently.

"The motion sensors! They know we're here! Move! Move!"

The sirens continued to scream as the three broke into a sprint, blurring in their rushed movements. Four large Dark Makers rushed into view and after a few loud gunshots and a precise slash of a sword, they were nothing but a crumpled mess on the floor. A smaller Dark Maker tried to land a hit to Jak's chest, but its clawed hand simply bounced off his armour. The small creature didn't get a chance to shriek in defiance before it had a bullet impaled in between its eyes.

"These are just the guards," Karina cried, stabbing one of her own through the chest. "They'll get stronger the further in we get. Keep moving!"

"Bring them on!" Sky screamed, shooting at a flashing button on a nearby control panel. The door that it kept locked suddenly shot upwards, allowing them to run straight through.

Karina's long ears twitched as the three pressed themselves to the wall of the hallway they were now in. They moved slowly and with great precision, not leaving anything to chance.

"What is it?" Jak whispered.

Karina was silent for a moment, "Two more experienced fighters around the corner. They heard the siren, and they're about to come around to investigate. I suggest you get out of sight." Was all she said before waving an arm in front of her face, disappearing from view.

Sky stared at the spot Karina had just been with wide eyes, "Built in cloaking device," She muttered. "Classy."

A low chuckle rang through the hall.

Jak glanced above his head, noticing the support beams holding up the roof. He nudged Sky's shoulder and the two gave a very precise leap, latching onto the metal and swinging themselves up and out of sight just as the two Dark Maker's rounded the corner. Jak held up his hand, silently counting down to one, watching as the two large creatures walked under their bodies. As soon as they were lined up, Jak and Sky dropped from their metal perch. In perfect synchronization, the two grabbed the creature's necks and with two sharp turns to the right, they were finished.

"Karina?" Jak asked, glancing around the hall.

A low piercing shriek rang from around the bend, and the two raced around to see what had caused the sound. Karina stood above a dead Dark Maker, re-sheathing her sword. "Yes?" She asked.

Jak smiled, rolling his eyes. "Nothing…"

Karina stopped again, her eyes closing. Her shoulders curled in and she twitched, leaning her head to the side. When her eyes opened, they were filled with excitement and only the tiniest bit of strain. "There's an ambush waiting in the dome at the end of the hall. There's a door there, so we've got a bit of time. Are you ready?"

Sky grinned, "This is what we came here to do."

'**Please tell me you're going to let me kick some ass…'**

Jak's Dark side made a very similar suggestion. Except it wasn't a suggestion at all. It was a demand.

'**You're going to let me kick some ass…'**

As usual, the transformations happened in perfect unison. Skin and hair paled, fingernails grew into claws, horns emerged, pupils widened and teeth elongated. The two snarled together, leaning forward, in search of a fight.

Karina smiled darkly at the two sets of black, demonic eyes that stared back at her. Carefully, she led them down the hall to the door that separated them from an ambush of angry Dark Makers. "Brace yourselves." She muttered, pulling out her sword and slicing the control panel.

The minute that the doors opened, the two Dark Demons were off, slicing, biting, slashing and destroying anything they could get their claws on. Karina shot off to the left, dodging a clawed hand and whistling loud enough to catch Jak's attention. The demon launched itself away from the kill that lay at his feet. A second later, he tackled the Dark Maker to the ground, snapping its neck and leaping over its head to dig his claws into the chest of the Dark Maker that stood in front of its fallen comrade. His claws pierced its heart and it fell to the ground in a twitching, bleeding mess. Jak shot Karina a twisted smile before he raced off again.

"**You've got a lot of nerve coming here, fleshling." **A deep, demented voice snarled from behind her. A smile graced Karina's lips as she turned, meeting the Dark Maker's eyes with her deep ones. The large creature's jaw fell slack. **"Impossible…" **It breathed. **"You fight against your family? Traitor!"**

The loud shouting drew in a large number of Dark Maker's whom all crowded around the slender elf. She grinned and leaned back, holding her sword out before spinning out and slicing each one straight across the middle. A few seconds later, the top halves of about ten Dark Makers slid to the floor, the legs collapsing soon after. Karina smiled at her kills. She was surprised to find that she didn't feel guilty. They were the enemy – she knew where her loyalties lay nowadays.

Across the room, Sky was busy with a Dark Maker with a higher status. It was a more experienced fighter than the others, and met each attack with its own. Sky became distracted by a nearby screech and sensing an opening, the Dark Maker shoved its claw straight into the side of her stomach, away from her armour. Sky didn't flinch at all – pain was a normal thing for the Demon. To prove its point, Sky grabbed her sword from its sheath and shoved it into the same spot, listening to the Dark Maker's cry of pain. She ripped it out before swinging up onto its back and piercing the tendons in the back of its neck with her claws. She listened as it screeched in agony. Finally deciding to show mercy, she squeezed her legs around its middle, listening to each individual snap of its ribs. Eventually, one pierced the heart and with an ominous gurgle, the creature fell to the floor. Sky was back up and slaughtering in the next second, the gash on her stomach already healing.

As Karina pulled her sword from the last standing Dark Maker, she realized that they were running short on time. "Guys!" She called, watching as Jak and Sky flickered from Demon to Elf before fully switching back. "We're losing time, we have to end this _now!" _

Jak nodded, "How far are we?" He asked.

She pointed to the large steel doors near them, Dark Eco dripping from the surface that surrounded the barricade. "There's a hall just through there, the door at the end is the Dark Heart chamber." She explained, rushing to the large doors and slashing at the control panel. It opened and they ran through.

Karina couldn't help but wonder where her brother was, and so it was no surprise to find him standing at the entrance to the chamber. Towering over her in all his Dark Maker glory.

"Zane," She stated dryly, narrowing her eyes as Jak raised his gun. "What are you doing here?"

The Dark Maker loosened its jaw and spoke in its strange language that oddly enough, made perfect sense to the three Dark creatures. **"I could ask you the same thing. Where have you been? I heard you switched sides… but I didn't actually believe it." **It was then that Zane noticed Jak's raised firearm. **"Hold your fire, fleshling. I have no desire to harm my sister."**

Jak's jaw dropped and he leaned to the side, whispering in Sky's ear. "I didn't know Karina had a brother."

Sky nodded, listening intently. "Yeah, that's Zane."

Karina shrugged, paying no attention to her conversing comrades. "I did switch sides – you're fighting for the wrong reasons, Zane. Do you know where your loyalties lie? Is this really what you want?" She raised her arm, resting her hand on her brother's large, clawed one. "What were your orders?"

Zane sighed, lowering his head. **"I was ordered to kill the intruders on sight. But… I can't… I can't do it. I won't hurt you**_**.**_**" **He paused, closing his eyes. **"I don't want to fight anymore."**

Karina smiled, "You don't have to fight. Join us and you'll know happiness like no other… Please, Zane. I miss you…"

Her brother sighed again and nodded, curling in on himself. The three watched as he began to shimmer and blur, much like Karina had all those months ago. The same bright light enveloped this hall, and when it passed, Zane stood before them in his Elvin form.

He looked much like Karina did that night. He wore black clothes with a matching cloak. He had jet black hair, spiked in all directions and the same haunting purple eyes. He was sturdy, for lack of a better word. He had long, wiry muscles under his clothes. He smiled down at his sister, pulling her into an embrace. "I've made my choice." He muttered into her hair as she squeezed him fiercely.

Sky and Jak shared a smile before a bright green orb in the top right hand corner of the room caught Jak's attention. He raised his gun and with a perfectly aimed shot, the orb exploded and yet another siren started screaming.

Karina stepped out of her brother's embrace to stare at the shattered orb. Her eyes widened before determination set in. "That was the main power switch for the Dark Eco holders. It'll already be flooding the ship, so we have to get this done. Now." She looked up at her brother. "Can you let us in?" Zane glanced back at the door and nodded, but before they could do anything, Sky slammed her fist down onto the control panel, destroying it. Karina looked up at Zane again and shrugged. "Never mind."

The four turned and sprinted into the room as the ship began to shake. Zane wobbled a bit, watching as Jak, Sky and Karina wandered to the large sphere in the middle of the circular room. Sky stared up at it with wide eyes, watching the swirls of purple in every shade, dancing together. "How can something so beautiful be so deadly?" She asked herself.

Karina shrugged, placing her hands on it, "I guess we'll never know." She muttered. "Come on, you two. Let's finish this."

The other two placed their hands on the glowing sphere, letting all the Eco units in their bodies transfer into the Dark Heart. Its beautiful colouring began to darken, turning a sickly green before a fiery red and then black as night. The longer they held their hands to the object, the more lethargic they became. Sky's eyes drooped as she kept her hands against the Dark Heart, Jak's arms shook from the pressure of it all and sweat began to pop out on Karina's porcelain skin. When the Dark Heart began to crack, she realized that they had done what they came to do.

"Stop!" She cried. "Stop or you'll kill yourselves!"

The two Dark Demons pulled their hands away, collapsing to the floor. Karina kneeled next to them and motioned for Zane to help her pick them up. "You need Dark Eco to survive – if you let it all leave your body, it'll kill you."

Zane glanced up at the ceiling, watching as it began to crumble around them; the sirens began to ring louder. "We need to get out of here… we only have ten seconds before this thing explodes."

Needing no further instruction, the four of them stood in a circle, hands clasped tightly. Their minds linked and as they waited for the pressure to sweep them away, they spent a few seconds congratulating each other.

"Well done, all of you," Karina chimed. "I'm very proud to call you my friends."

Sky laughed, "Not friends, Karina. Family."

Jak winked before glancing at Zane. "Welcome to the family, both of you."

Zane smiled, "Ready?"

Just as the ship exploded and the four were swept away by the strange bright light that had brought them to the Dark Maker ship, Karina screamed. "Are you proud now, Dad?!"

* * *

A loud splash echoed through Haven Forest, followed by a peal of four different kinds of laughter. Jak, Sky, Karina and Zane all waded out of the lake, water dripping from their bodies.

"That was graceful," Zane laughed.

Sky grinned and clapped him on the shoulder, looking up and locking eyes with the Freedom scientist. "Cal!" She cried. "What are you doing here?"

Cal grinned, his green eyes lighting up at the happy smiles on their faces. He noticed the fourth person, but realized that he'd get an explanation soon enough. "I've been waiting for you lot to get back. Was it a success?"

Jak nodded with a laugh, "They're wiped. We destroyed the ship."

As Jak spoke, a Freedom Carrier landed behind Cal. The back door opened and Torn, Keira, Kellan, Sig and King Damas emerged. The last two coming as a shock to the onlookers.

"Jak!" Keira cried, sprinting over to the green-haired elf, crashing into him with a laugh.

Kellan and Sky embraced warmly. Kellan looked down at her, resting his forehead against hers, "I'm proud of you."

Karina smiled at Torn, resting a hand on Zane's shoulder. "Torn, Damas, Sig, Cal – I'd like you all to meet my brother, Zane."

Damas stepped forward, shaking his hand. "I've heard many stories about you, young man."

Zane laughed, "About how I'm such a gigantic pain in Karina's butt?"

The young she-elf laughed in response, "Of course. I don't have any other stories to tell."

Torn smiled and cleared his throat, capturing the attention of all the Elves in the large expanse. "When the ship exploded, every Dark Maker in the city was destroyed. The war is over."

Loud cheers rang through the Forest. Kellan spun Sky in a circle as Karina and Zane shared a loving embrace. Jak kept a firm grip on Keira's hand as he turned to Damas. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in Spargus?"

Damas smiled down at the young male, "I needed to be here for my son."

In a rush, a flood of memories overwhelmed Jak's mind…

_Loving violet eyes glancing down at a cherubic face._

_Deep laughter flowing through a large room as baby Jak timidly reached out to pat a Muse. A creature that was deemed to be extinct._

_A young five year old boy holding a heavy sword, grunting as it tipped him forward from the weight._

_King Damas spinning his son in a circle, listening to the squeal of laughter that bubbled from the young boys lips._

_A loving embrace, a fathers proud words…_

_A father…_

Jak unconsciously raised his hand to the Seal of Mar, strapped around his neck by a small chain. He glanced up at the battle-hardened man with watery eyes. "Father…" He whispered.

Damas smiled so bright that Jak was surprised that his cheeks didn't split, and pulled the young elf in for a bone-crushing hug.

"I knew you'd remember, my boy."

* * *

**BWA: Yeah, yeah. I know I did the whole father thing. But, I tried not to make it some huge thing. It's just where the story took me.  
Jak: -Sniffles- I found my daddy..  
BWA: Aww. -Smiles- Anyway, just the epilogue left, and then this series is done! I know, I can't believe it either.  
Sky: It'll be a happy ending, right?  
BWA: Of course, you lot deserve it.  
Sky: -Grins-  
BWA: I'm sorry that this update took so long. My laptop got sick and so it's away getting fixed at the moment. -Shrugs- I should get it back soon. I'm just happy that I backed my stories up on our old desktop computer.  
Emmett: Hooray!  
BWA: Jak hasn't gone Dark on you for painting his face?  
Emmett: Nope.  
BWA: Strange.. Anyway, I'll do my best to update within the next few days. I hope everyone had a good Christmas! We'll see you again real soon for the Epilogue!  
Emmett: -Waves-**

**

* * *

  
**


	12. Epilogue

**BWA: Believe it or not, kiddies, we've reached the end of our story!  
Sky: -Gasps- Really?  
BWA: Yep.  
Sky: -Sniffles-  
BWA: Aw, Sky! Don't cry..  
Jak: -Sniffles-  
Emmett: -Whimpers-  
Keira: -Chin wobbles-  
Kellan: -Hiccups-  
Daxter: -Blows nose-  
Tess: -Sobs-  
Karina: -Blubbers-  
BWA: Um.. can I get some tissues over here?**

**Disclaimer: Naughty Dog owns it, I wrote a story about it. That's pretty much it. **

_**

* * *

Chapter Eleven  
Epilogue **_

A year had passed since the historic Elvin - Dark Maker War. Although Haven had been destroyed, Baroness Ashelin, along with her boyfriend of six months, Commander Torn were working together to rebuild the city.

Damas had explained to Jak that he had been sworn to secrecy by the Haven City government to keep the crown prince safe and, hopefully, free from assassination. Jak was now the rightful crown prince of Spargus. And no prince could be complete without his princess. Jak had proposed to Keira three months after the war ended, and she had enthusiastically agreed. They were married two months later by a Precursor Monk at the Spargus Palace, where the two now lived.

Kellan and Sky got their happy ending as well, getting married a month after Jak and Keira. They lived in a nearby house in Spargus, having been living there since the reconstruction of Haven began. Jak and Sky would constantly joke about how, even when New Haven was finished, they'd stay in Spargus – which they would.

Karina and her older brother Zane also moved to Spargus with the group. Both siblings found love within their first few months in the desert city. Zane joined the other Spargain mechanics, realizing that he had developed a love of construction. He also helped Sig train budding young swordsmen and women during his spare time. Karina was engaged and working on hooking up Eco shields in the city, and in her spare time, she would go with the other Spargain women to find exotic fruits near the oasis. She also liked tearing up the desert in the newly manufactured Sand Shark.

Cal decided to stay in Haven with his girlfriend, one that he told no one of until after the war. He knew the two Eco Demons would tease him about it, and they did. He helped build the mechanical devices needed to restore the city.

Daxter and Tess got hitched, Tess giving birth to their daughter, Teela, nine months later.

Kellan and Sky agreed that, when they decided to have kids, they would name their daughter Vidia, after Sky's mother.

At dusk on the last day of the year, the group of seven sat on the Palace rooftop, watching as the two suns set over the horizon. The same thing had happened sixteen months before. Before the war began.

"Does this feel like déjà vu to anyone else?" Daxter asked as Tess curled against him, their daughter watching a nearby butterfly with her big blue eyes.

"No," Sky sighed, resting her head on Kellan's shoulder as the final rays of sunlight washed over her skin. "This is so different."

"How so?" Keira asked, curled up comfortably on Jak's lap.

"Put it this way," She continued. "The last time we watched a sunset, it was to distract ourselves from the fact that we were about to be in a war. We didn't know what was going to come of it and we didn't know if we were going to survive. This time around, we've all found what we didn't know we were looking for, we've welcomed two new family members into our lives and we're no longer afraid."

"She's right," Karina said with a smile, watching as the orange lights lit up her purple eyes. "Things are perfect now."

Zane smiled at his little sister, "I never knew that life could be so wonderful, I'm very happy I made the change."

"So are we," Kellan added. "At least now I'm not the only male mechanic. It was horrible having to deal with Sky and Keira fussing over things all the time."

The group shared a life as Sky swatted at her husband's shoulder. "If you don't want any tonight, keep talking like that."

Jak laughed, gently stroking the ring on Keira's finger, "I never thought things would end up like this. I found my Dad, I claimed the title of Prince of Spargus and now I'm married."

Zane laughed, "Everyone's married but me…"

Karina giggled, watching as the light glinted off her engagement ring, "Maybe that's life's way of telling you to pop the question."

Tess smiled warmly, running her fingers through her daughters hair, watching as the orange streaks in her blonde hair lit up in the light. "This is how things are supposed to be."

Keira nodded against Jak's chest, both her and her husband's hands resting on her abdomen, where their child had begun to grow. "I couldn't agree more."

Through it all, they had ended up on top. They had climbed their mountains, overcame their fears and reached their goals. They stuck together and realized that love conquers all, in the end. They now lived in peace and happiness.

Nevertheless, if anyone ever needed the help of a few Eco Demons, Jak and Sky would always be there to help.

_THE END_

_

* * *

_

**BWA: Yep, that's the end.  
Sky: It's so sad..  
BWA: It really isn't. I mean, we had a good run, right?  
Emmett: -Nods-  
BWA: We laughed, didn't we?  
Jak: Yeah.  
BWA: So why are you all so sad? We had fun. Who knows, I might write another Jak and Daxter story someday.  
Keira: Really?  
BWA: Sure, why not?  
Everyone: -Smiles-  
BWA: Well, I just wanted to say a quick thank you to everyone who read and reviewed this story and its prequel. I'm so proud of this and I'm glad you enjoyed this story. I had so much fun writing it. Just... thank you. Thank you so much.  
Emmett: -Sniffs-  
BWA: Aw, Emmett. -Cuddles- Well, that's about it from us. The group got their happy ending, and it was well deserved. I'm sure they're going to have some great stories to tell their kids someday.  
Sky: Oh yeah.  
BWA: -Laughs- Last but not least, I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year, and I wish you all the best for 2010! Until next time! -Waves-  
Everyone: -Cheers and throws confetti-  
**


End file.
